It's Not What You Think
by RosieShiba
Summary: Roy and Riza are married but nothing good lasts forever, especially when the Fuhrer has his sights set on their son. Riza POV.
1. Prologue

**I don't won FMA but I hope you enjoy this :)**

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**Prologue**

My father had always been a hermit ever since my mother had died. I couldn't really blame him. The depth of sadness in his eyes was almost unbearable to see and the fact that he never moved on was much harder for me to bear. I was sixteen when he died. I was left alone but yet I didn't feel any sadness when he died. In fact I saw it as something completely different. I had a chance for my own life now I didn't care what he would have thought. He'd treated me horribly over the years but I didn't dwell on the details. I wasn't his daughter in the end, I was just the girl who lived in the same house and shared his blood.

It was shortly before he died that he decided that it was probably best for him to pass on his secrets somehow. His last student, Mustang, had left almost three years before without any sign that he would ever return. I didn't blame him. So my father turned to me to preserve his secrets, but it's far worse than you think…

I was fifteen when he suddenly decided the way I would help him. He would tattoo the secrets onto my back and no amount of my tears seemed to make him stop. Of course I finally stopped crying and just let him do it to me. He wasn't my father anymore, he wasn't human any more. His soul had been consumed by flame.

"This should set you up with a future," he told me after he finished. He glared over me. "Be thankful I have given you what you never would have."

I wanted to ask him how the secrets on my back would help have a future that I would never have. I would never have a normal relationship with anyone. Alchemists would only want me for the secrets on my back. I had no future. I remembered how much he hated people, how much he hated me and Mustang. He hated us some much without a single reason than we had a life a head of us.

Mustang returned, ironically on the day of my father's death. He had been there when my father had died. The fact he'd returned so cockily was what probably finished him off. He probably had a heart attack. Mustang stayed for the funeral and then left me to my own devices but before he left I gave him what he'd always wanted. Of course some men don't know better than to play with fire…


	2. Walking In The Rain

**Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've got exams coming up so I won't be updating frequently but I'll do what I can. I don't own FMA...**

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Walking in the Rain

"Sir," I snapped as I saw Mustang's head on the table. He was resting his head on his arms on his desk like he did everyday around this sort of time. It was mid morning. He'd do this mid afternoon too complaining that he was hungry and couldn't go on. I glared at him. His head slowly rose and he stared at me.

"I can't go on," he moaned, "I'm hungry."

"Maybe you shouldn't skip breakfast," I replied coldly.

"Maybe if I had someone to make it for me," was his retort. I noticed the cocky glint in his eye as he insinuated that I should make him breakfast. I sighed half glad that the men in the office hadn't noticed his look. They were working. I had threatened them four times already this morning and it was only ten o clock. They would probably stop working in five minutes or so and talk about the girl on reception or some rumour they'd heard. However, Mustang never really listened to my threats, knowing that I would never shoot him. That's what he thought. I knew if I aimed at him I would shoot him. It was best not to let it get that far.

"Maybe you should get a wife then," I muttered. Mustang frowned and noisily put his head back on his arms with a soft grunt. I was secretly amused by his reaction, the one I had anticipated.

It was Hughes who had always said that to him. I glanced at the clock from my desk. It was about time for him to phone. He called everyday like clockwork to annoy Mustang. At least it livened him up for an hour until he clamed himself down. Right on cue the phone rang. Mustang didn't bother to lift his head up. His hand snaked across the desk, picked up the phone and carried it to his ear.

"Hello?" he said quietly.

"Hi Roy!" screamed Hughes's voice from the other end. I saw Mustang flinch. "How you doing today? My Alisha is doing great. I don't think she can get any cuter and then she does! How about that?"

"What do you want, Hughes?" Mustang asked in an overtly bored way.

"Can't I check up on a friend without causing suspicion?" Hughes asked.

"No," Mustang replied.

"You're so square, Roy!" Hughes laughed, "Haven't you had a date this week? That's your problem; you have nothing to satisfy you."

"Please, spare me the lecture, Hughes," Mustang said sitting up, "Hawkeye's already given it to me."

There was a pause on the line. Hughes had obviously stopped shouting at the other end but Mustang was still listening to him speak.

"I don't want to know, Hughes," he went on. He tapped his fingers on the desk in annoyance. He looked up at me. "That's not what I meant…No…No…No…Hughes, you're annoying me now…Hughes…Get yourself a life!"

He slammed the phone down on the desk. He glared at it in a threatening way as if daring it to ring again. It didn't. Mustang relaxed slightly but then tensed again when he saw that the other guys were staring at him.

"That was…harsh, sir," Fuery said.

"When you've had someone on your back as long as I have, you're allowed to be harsh," he snapped. He jumped to his feet.

"I'm going for a walk," he announced. I sighed loudly.

"Don't you have papers to fill out?" asked Havoc.

"I'm not here to be a bureaucrat," Mustang snapped again. He stormed out the door without another word. I rolled my eyes.

"I'd better go with him," I said. I slowly made my way out of the office not seeming to be in a rush to catch up with him. He was by the entrance anyway. He had opened the door and was waiting.

"It's raining," he stated.

"Then you shouldn't go for a walk then, sir," was my replied. I saw a smile flicker onto his face. He walked out into the open air as he didn't care about the weather. I followed like I always did, not knowing what the heck he was thinking.

"Do you and Maes have bets on who can annoy me the most?" he asked the moment we were in the city centre.

"Not really, sir, the odds are low," I replied. Mustang grinned. He wasn't bothered about the rain at all. He was almost happy to be out in weather like this. I hated it. I could feel the rain soaking through the layers of my uniform. If I caught a cold now then I would shoot him.

He glanced at me from over his shoulder. He was checking to see if I'd got bored yet. I didn't get bored easily. I could sit in an empty room for six hours and not be bored. Mustang was different. He got bored easily. It would only take him five minutes to get bored of something. He still had that child mentality where he had to be entertained for the whole of the day but no one could him entertained.

Believe me when I say many had tried and all had failed.

I looked up at the sky to see if there was any hope of the sun breaking through the clouds. The sky was grey. I scowled at it. We'd had rain for a week now. It seemed it would never stop. We would have a few minutes of dryness every couple of hours until it started again.

Mustang stopped abruptly. He was looking at something in a shop window. I glanced over at it figuring that he'd seen a cute woman in the shop and was trying to get a better look. It was a clothes shop for women. There were a few dresses on models in the front window but I didn't really care. Dresses were for housewives and mothers, not military personnel like me.

"Why would you want to wear something like that?" Mustang asked gesturing at a mustard coloured dress with a white collar and purple belt round the waist.

"I don't know, sir," I replied.

"Would you wear something like that?"

"No, sir,"

"Why not?"

"Because yellow hardly goes with the uniform, sir,"

"What about when you're off duty?"

I glanced up at his cocky smile.

"I'd rather not look like a condiment, sir," I replied, "Can we please continue walking, please?"

He started to walk again. He stretched his arms upwards.

"I wish I was on holiday," he said.

"Sir, every day for you is a holiday compared with the rest of us," I muttered.

"Why's that?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"All you do is sleep, eat and walk," I explained, "Every now and then you sign a piece of paper."

"That's harsh," he retorted, "At least the holidays will be here soon."

Now that was just what I wanted to remember. The holidays were next month. The rain would soon turn to snow and the wind would change direction. The streets would be lined with decorations and the bars would be full at night. I would be on full alert because Mustang would be in one of those bars. They weren't holidays, they were extreme training weeks.

Mustang must have seen the expression on my face as I mulled over the last few holidays. It took Mustang a lot of drinks to get drunk but he normally stuck to his limit. Havoc, Breda and Falman were worse. They got plastered and I spend most of my holidays stopping bar fights with rival units. I'm surprised they never got disciplined.

"Don't worry this year," Mustang said, "I think I have a way of getting those guys to cut back on the booze. Holidays are meant for rest after all."

"I'd be glad to hear of your plans, sir," I said waiting for a stupid idea but Mustang didn't say anything. He just smiled.


	3. The Holidays

**Sorry for the long wait I've just finished my exams and come back off of holiday. I should be updating more regularly now.**

**I don't own FMA**

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**The Holidays**

"You want us to do what?" Havoc asked on the final day before work as we packed up for the holidays. The guys had frozen on the spot and were staring at Mustang like he'd said something alien to them. Even I had to marvel at the sheer genius of the plan he'd come up with.

"I said that I bet you four that you couldn't stick to one drink a day over the holidays," Mustang repeated in a casual way. Havoc's pupils narrowed as he stared at Mustang.

"I bet we can," was his reply after a long pause.

"I don't drink," Fuery piped up. We all turned to look at him as he went a strange colour of red.

"What do we get if we do it?" Breda asked. I turned to Mustang to see what his reaction was.

"You won't get burnt," he replied.

"What will happen if we don't do it?" Falman asked.

"You will burn,"

The four guys gulped.

"What if one does it and the others don't?" Fuery asked.

"You all get burnt," Mustang replied. Fuery turned white.

They huddled in a small ring as they discussed what they were deciding to do. They all nodded and separated after a few minutes.

"It's a deal but on a few conditions," Havoc said. Mustang frowned. His face seemed to say that there were no conditions but he was waiting to hear them before he said something. "You can only drink one a night."

"Sure,"

"If you fail you have to give command to Black Hayate for a day,"

"Yeah,"

"And if we all don't fail then we each get to kiss Hawkeye under the mistletoe,"

"In your dreams," I wanted to say, but I had to admit I'd rather kiss all of them than save them all from brawls. I nodded my consent to the Colonel.

"Then it's a deal," he said.

"That includes you, sir," Havoc said. Mustang frowned again.

"I did notice that, Havoc," he snapped. He slipped on his coat and walked out of the office door with me following behind him.

Mustang rubbed his temples as he walked. I was thankful at what he'd done but I didn't really want to face up to kissing the others. Feury would probably die from embarrassment. Falman would probably not acknowledge it at all. Breda would enjoy but not speak of it again. Havoc would want tongue. Mustang wouldn't want to kiss me, this I knew, but I couldn't understand why he'd agree on something like this if he didn't want to do it. Maybe Mustang was much more mature than I thought. Then again maybe it did play into his web of schemes.

I thought it was best not to ask him why he'd agreed to something like that probably because I knew he was in a mood. I walked behind him like usual like nothing had been said at all. I smiled slightly as we walked out of Head Quarters. After all these years he was still the same boy I knew, ready to protect anyone he saw needed it and ready to deal with consequences.

"Don't you just love the holidays, Riza?" Gracier asked me while we sat inside a café sipping coffee. Elisha was sat in the middle of us, drawing on a piece of paper with some wax crayons.

"Normally the holidays aren't so good for me," I admitted, "But this year everything seems to be going well."

"You are coming tomorrow night, aren't you?" she asked. I nodded. It was customary for Maes to throw a huge party where his subordinates and Mustang's would be invited. It was a great night for all of us, especially Maes. There was no doubt in my mind that Alisha would be the centre of attention because of Maes. I looked at the young girl. She was drawing so happily.

"Yeah," I replied, "I'll be there. Don't you worry."

"Good," Gracier said putting her cup on its saucer. She sighed loudly as she glanced at Alisha. "Maes wants her to have a new dress but she doesn't like most of the party dresses in the shops. What will I do?"

"I have a dress she might like," I said. Gracier looked up at me.

"You have?" she asked, "Why do you have one?"

"My mother made me it when I was Alisha's age. It should fit her," I explained, "My mother wanted me to save it for my daughter but seeing as I have no children it seems silly to waste it."

"Riza, you always surprise me," Gracier said with a warm smile, "Don't you ever feel like you want children?"

"Sometimes," I admitted, "Late at night when I'm in bed thinking about things I think it would be nice to settle down and have a family of my own but then I realise I would become a house wife and be forced to wear stupid flowery dresses and think it wouldn't be me."

Gracier chuckled. She shook her head slightly.

"I keep thinking that Maes and I should try and give Alisha a little brother or sister but Maes would be distraught," she said as she stroked Alisha's head, "He loves Alisha so much he'd be torn between two if we had another one."

"That's true," I agreed, "Besides he drives Mustang up the wall with one child. If there were two, Mustang would burn himself to death."

"I can imagine," Gracier smiled. She picked up her handbag from the floor. "Shall we get going?"

"Sure,"

"Come on, Alisha," Gracier said to her daughter. Alisha looked up and quickly packed her crayons and paper into a small animal bag that hung around her neck. We put our coats on and left the café.

Central was always busy when it was the holiday season. People were buying last minute gifts and food. Everywhere there seemed to be people in a mad panic and frantically running around. Gracier was an exception to the rule. She had everything prepared already and was taking a leisurely stroll. The holidays weren't really that important to me since I didn't have any family in the area. I had sent some things to my Grandfather and Grandmother in the East a while back but I wasn't going to join them for the celebrations.

I only had to buy Alisha something. I normally allowed her to pick it and have it early. She always picked something modest like a small doll or stuffed animal. This was probably because she knew that she would be spoilt over the holiday period by Maes. We were walking by a jewellery shop when Gracier stopped abruptly. She sighed loudly.

"I wonder what Maes has bought me," she said. I smiled.

"Is there something you want?" I asked. She nodded.

"It's nothing really but I really like the style," she replied. She began to walk off again. I followed. "Is there anything you want for the holidays?"

"Nothing really," I replied honestly, "I'm not really into the conventional things. I suppose I could do with a new revolver but I'll have to get that myself."

"Why does Auntie Riza want guns, mummy?" Alisha asked, "Doesn't she like pretty things?"

"Everyone likes different things, Alisha," Gracier explained, "Mummy likes pretty things like you do but Riza likes other things."

"So if I bought you something pretty you wouldn't like it?" Alisha asked. She looked up at me with those big green eyes.

"If you bought me something, Alisha, then I would treasure it no matter what it was," I replied. Alisha smiled widely.

"What if Uncle Roy bought you something pretty? Would you like that too?" she asked. I laughed.

"Uncle 'Roy' knows better than to buy me anything pretty," I replied, "His and my tastes differ. I bet he doesn't know what pretty is."

Gracier laughed.

"Although try bimbo," I said. Gracier glanced at me.

"Roy has a lot of respect for you so I doubt that he would give you anything that he'd give to any other woman," she said, "He knows you better than most. He knows that if he gave you something pretty then it would offend you."

"Why would it fend Auntie Riza?" Alisha asked.

"Because Uncle Roy sees women differently to your father," I replied, "Your father loves your mother and respects women but Uncle Roy is different. I doubt he would offend me but I would be forced to take him to a doctor for a check up or go through his paper work to see what was happening."

"Book store!" Alisha yelled all of a sudden. She let go of her mother's hand and went running towards the store. She disappeared at once into the crowd. Gracier panicked slightly and ran after her, shouting her name. I smiled as I walked towards the store, not really paying attention where the two had gone.

Once I reached the store I looked for them. They must have been inside because they weren't loitering round the window. I went inside. There were only a few people there. There was a clerk behind the till. I approached him.

"Have a woman and little girl come in here?" I asked. The clerk looked up at me. "The woman has very short hair, blonde."

"Sorry, miss, but I haven't seen them," he replied, "Maybe they snuck in while I was working."

"I'll look round," I said.

I walked round the shop looking past each row of books. The shop was dingy and dark. At the far end of the shop there was a stair case. I looked round before climbing up the stairs. At the top I could see more book shelves. I scanned the place before I want to look around. Alisha wasn't here other wise she'd be singing 'Pretty Book'. I turned to go down the stairs but something else caught me eye. I doubled back. I walked to the end of the room and glanced round a book shelf.

A man was stood in the shadow of the book shelf reading through a book. He glanced at me but didn't act surprised to see me.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a voice that I had heard before.

"I'm sorry I was looking for someone," I said.

"In the Alchemy section?" he asked. I froze. Had I really come into the alchemy section? I suppressed a shudder. The last time I was around so many Alchemy books was when I lived with my father. There was nothing but bad memories there.

"They mustn't be here then," I replied, "In the shop I mean."

Where could they have gone? I couldn't believe I had lost them. I knew I should have been paying more attention where they had gone. I rubbed my head. Where could they be?

The man had put the book he'd been reading back on the shelf. He took a few steps towards me.

"Are you OK?" he asked, "You don't look well."

"I'm fine, just worried," I replied. I bowed and made my way to the stairs.

"Hawkeye!" the man shouted I froze again. I whipped round. The man was now standing in the light. It was Mustang. Of all people I could've bumped into it had to be the Colonel. "Who have you lost?"

"Gracier and Alisha, sir," I replied.

"Do you need any help finding them?" he asked. He rubbed his left eye like he'd been up for a while.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," I replied. He walked towards me.

"Where did you last see them?" he asked. I rolled my eyes. So he was going to help then? Typical Mustang. Helps when you least want him to.


	4. Party Nights

**Hi. I realise this story has been a little slow to begin off with but things should be moving along soon (I hope).**

**As always I don't own FMA but please try to enjoy this :)**

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**Party Nights**

We walked out of the store onto the busy street outside. I sighed. I couldn't see Gracier or Alisha. It was too busy to see an individual. People were swarming into shops in some mad frenzy. I groaned. This was impossible and to make it worse I was now stuck with Mustang. If anyone from work happened to spot us then there was sure to be a rumour as soon as we went back to work. Things couldn't get much better now.

We stepped out into the crowd of people. I tried my best to follow Mustang but I soon lost sight of him. I stopped and glanced round for him. So now I had lost him. Great, just great. I was pushed by a few women who stared at me in sheer disgust. I noticed their smiles as they looked away from me. I hated women like them. I looked around again wondering which direction the Colonel had gone in. As I was stood thinking I was knocked again, this time harder. I stumbled forward and fell into someone.

"I'm sorry," I went to say only to find it was Mustang I had fallen into. He glanced down at me.

"Keep close," he said. He grabbed my arm softly and pulled me out of the worst of the crowd. I hated this. I was being pushed around by people milling through the other way. It was starting to annoy me slightly. I was used to people walking in some sort of order rather than in a mess like this. After years in the military I was used to people walking in straight lines in a sort of pattern set by the commanding officer. Mustang didn't seem to notice other people. They seemed to avoid him. I was wondering whether people sensed not to mess with him when he stopped suddenly. I walked into the back of him but he didn't seem to notice. "Over there."

I glanced up at him before looking round to see Gracier and Alisha stood at the corner of a street. Gracier was looking round in a panicked sort of way while Alisha was hanging off the street lamp next to her. Mustang began to walk again. I felt myself being slowly dragged along with him.

"Colonel Mustang?" Gracier asked seeing him first. She gave him a warm smile. "Are you shopping?"

"I was," he replied with a grin. He raised his arm up to reveal me stood behind him. "Were you looking for her?"

"Riza, oh I'm glad you found us," Gracier said. Her face instantly lightened the moment she saw me as relief washed over her. I smiled at her. "I was worried. I had no idea where you went."

"That's fine," I told her. I glanced at Alisha who had just realised that Mustang was there. She had jumped on him and was laughing wildly. Mustang had jumped but had regained his composure easily and was now talking to her the way he always did. "I'm glad you didn't loose Alisha."

Gracier sighed loudly. She turned to Mustang. "We're just about to meet Maes. You're welcome to join us."

"I'm sorry I've got things to do," Mustang replied apologetically, "I'm sure you don't need the hassle of Maes being distracted by trying to get me a wife."

"I suppose," Gracier agreed. Mustang bent down so Alisha could slide from round his shoulders onto the floor. She looked at him with her puppy dog eyes trying to make him change his mind. Mustang either didn't notice or wasn't fooled by her. His gaze fixed on me for a moment or two before he looked back at Gracier.

"But I'll se you all tomorrow night at the party," he said encouragingly. Gracier nodded. Alisha hugged her mother round her legs as Mustang walked off and disappeared into the crowd.

"Uncle Roy gone," she sated. Gracier smiled down at her daughter.

"You'll see him tomorrow," she said. She then turned to me. "I just need some wine and then that's it."

"That's fine," I said. Gracier grabbed Alisha's hand and led us off the busy street into one of the back alleys where the old wine cellars were. I knew that Maes was very fond of his fancy wines from these cellars even though I wouldn't have guessed it by looking at him. I followed her until she turned to go into a shop. She left Alisha outside and I decided to wait wither. Children weren't allowed to go into these shops. The Government had tried to reduce the number of drunken teens by making it illegal for children under twenty to go into them. It was a bad effort because there was no child or teen in their right mind that would drink this wine or let alone could afford it.

Alisha was kicking stones. She was bored.

"Auntie Riza," she said, "Why don't you have any children?"

I paused at the question she asked. I smiled down at her trying to think of the best way to answer her.

"Because I don't love anyone enough," I replied simply, "To have a baby you need to love somebody deeply."

Alisha looked down at the floor as she thought about what I said. How nice it was to be so ignorant to the way the world really was. Alisha was lucky that she grew up in a house where her parents loved her very much. She raised her head and looked at me.

"You would be a great mom," she said.

"Thank you, Alisha," I replied. She ran at my knees and hugged them tightly.

"You're my second mummy," she said, "I'm lucky, my daddy says because I've got two mummies and two daddies."

"Yes, you are very lucky," I said, "But you deserve it."

Gracier walked out of the shop with a few bottles in her shopping bag. She glanced at both of us before smiling.

"What are you doing, Alisha?" she asked. Alisha straightened up and ran to her mum. Gracier turned as we began walking down the street. "So what do you think of Central in the holidays, Riza?"

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The Hughes' party was one of those social events that marked the holidays. There was always something going on that would make the night seem unforgettable. Gracier would often be busy talking to her own friends or bustling around making sure the food and drink was OK. I never talked to the other ladies at the party even though I'd been coming to these parties for years. They were the soccer mum type, the housewife that doted on her darling husband and in their own little world their child was the best at everything. There would always be one that would go and talk to Mustang and give him her life story before she turned to flirting with him. Mustang was always very gracious with them.

Mustang was talking to Maes, well arguing with Maes, over something that had happened at headquarters. They could never agree who said what and who did what. Most of the men present were military so it didn't really matter what was said. The guys from the office were also present. They were stood in a corner by themselves looking wishfully over at the alcoholic drinks on the table. I smiled. They were really keeping to their bets.

"Are you OK, Hawkeye?" Mustang asked. His voice startled me for a second. I nodded,

"Yes, sir," I replied, "I was just watching Havoc stare at the bottle of Gin on the table."

Mustang laughed, "See I said I had a way of dealing with them. Didn't you believe me?"

"It's better than your usual standard, sir," I replied. Mustang smiled at me. He lent against the wall and looked over me. I was out of my uniform which was unusual for most of the military personnel to see. I had decided to wear a simple white blouse and a black knee high skirt with black boots. My hair was down.

"You're so much better out of uniform, Hawkeye," he said, "I just wish you'd lighten up more."

"If I lightened up then people would definitely think something was wrong with me," I snapped, "It's odd for me to where a skirt. It frightens Fuery."

"Good to know," he said cheerfully. I looked at him while he sipped some liquid. I didn't bother to ask what it was. He was wearing a black shirt and trousers. He liked to look dark and mysterious but I didn't know why he'd bothered, I was the only single girl in the house apart from the children. I doubt he wanted to pick up literal babes. "Have you heard from your grandfather?"

"Not since we left the East," I replied. He nodded slowly.

"Will you be spending the holidays with them?" he asked. He knew my grandfather well but always referred to my grandparents as 'them'. He wouldn't admit it but he was terrified of my grandmother. It was the first time he met her at the first holidays after Ishval. She'd taken to Mustang like wasps to sugar. Poor Mustang was traumatised ever since.

"No I don't think so this year," I replied, "My Aunt in the South has decided to invite them over for a pampered holiday."

"Sounds nice for them," he said. I smiled warmly at him.

"How's Chris?" I asked, taking a sip of whiskey. Mustang eyed my drink wearily.

"She's good," he replied, "She's in the North for the winter. She says she likes the snow."

"Don't most people move from the North in winter?" I asked.

"Yeah, but you know Chris. She's as daft as a tree," Mustang said. I smiled at him. When we were both out of uniform we were much better friends. It was almost like I was talking to that boy I met in my teens.

"Riza!" I heard Gracier shout. I turned to see her beckoning me over.

"Sorry, I should probably go and help her," I said hurrying away from Mustang. Gracier dragged me into the kitchen. She was grinning ear to ear.

"What's wrong?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Sorry," she said, "But I was watching you too there. I thought it would be best that I dragged you away before something happened."

"Sorry?" I asked not believing what I was hearing.

"Don't tell me you didn't see the way he was looking at you," she gasped, "He was staring at you like he wanted you so badly."

"He's my commanding officer," I said rubbing my temples in an annoyed sort of way, "Besides he knows I'm armed so no matter what he wants he has to behave himself otherwise he won't have any knee caps."

"Riza," Gracier moaned, "You're so rigid sometimes."

"I'm rigid?" I asked. I lowered my voice before I continued, "You're the one trying to set me up with my own commanding officer. You're getting as bad as your husband."

Graicer only smiled as she left the kitchen to go and rejoin her friends.

I stayed away from Mustang mostly for the rest of the night, not that he seemed to mind. He was being harassed by Maes for most of it much to the amusement to Havoc and the other guys. Everyone knew that Maes was the only person in the world that could openly mock Mustang with out being fried on the spot. Of course everyone knew that Mustang would never fry me either.

Before long it was almost midnight. I decided to sneak out of the party before it was too late to walk home otherwise it would mean having to take a taxi back with Havoc and a few of the others. I doubted anyone would notice that I was gone.

It was cold outside and I was glad I'd decided to bring my thick winter coat with me. I stepped out into the winter's night. I was half way down the path when I heard the front door of the house shut.

"You were just going to slip out?" Mustang asked. I turned to look at him. He was wearing his coat.

"If it gets any later then it means I'll have to get a ride with Havoc and the others," I explained. He smiled at me like I was doing something weird. "You've never been stuck with Havoc and the others in a car, have you, sir?"

"Can't say I ever have been," he admitted, "But have you been stranded in a train station with Maes?"

"No, sir," I replied, smiling a little.

"I guess they're almost the same thing," he said. He walked past me. "I've had enough. I'll walk you home if you'd like."

"I wouldn't like to trouble you, sir," I said honestly.

"It's no trouble," he said. He offered me his arm. I took it rather reluctantly but then again, it was the holidays and Roy Mustang was never that stable when walking on ice.

We walked across the city centre without much trouble. They had cleared away most of the ice with salt on the main streets but mustang was still nervous about walking by himself. He really didn't like ice or water but that was probably due to his childhood before I met him but he never said why he didn't like them. It was true he hated the rain because it made his fire alchemy useless. We talked about random things until we were outside the military apartments.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" I asked him as he turned to walk in the opposite direction to me. The high ranking officers lived at one end of the apartments while other ranks lived in the opposite direction. He glanced at before a wide grin appeared on his face.

"Yeah, I should be fine," he said. It did look icy ahead in both directions. I sighed.

"Thank you for walking me this far, sir," I said bowing my head slightly.

"It's fine, Hawkeye," Mustang said airily. He turned his back to me and started to walk forwards. I smiled and turned in the direction of my apartment block when I heard him fall to the ground with a crash. I turned to look at him. I couldn't help but smirk at him as he got slowly to his feet and dusted himself off. He glanced back at me. "And you wonder why I hate ice?"

"Didn't you ever go ice skating when you were little, sir?" I asked. I took a few steps towards him to make sure he was alright.

"No," he snapped, "Who in their right mind would pay to fall over on ice?"

"The aim is not to fall over," I stated, "Are you alright?"

"Nothing seems to be broken," he replied rubbing his arm. He frowned at me. "Wipe that smile off your face, lieutenant."

"I'm sorry, sir," I said, but before I could control myself I burst into laughter. Mustang's frown deepened.

"You really found that funny?" he asked as he rubbed his head.

"Sorry," I repeated, "I didn't mean to laugh like that."

"No it's fine," he replied. His expression lightened for a second. "I'll try again."

"Its fine, I'll help you," I said grabbing his arm. Too late he slipped again and landed on his back. With me grabbing his arm at the last minute I was pulled down with him. I landed on top of him smoothly. His arm went straight round my waist like we were being ambushed or something. It was probably his natural instincts at work so I decided not to scold him for it.

"That's why I like the east so much," he said dryly, "No ice, only rain."

"You hate both," I muttered. He shrugged. His hand moved to the small of my back. With his other hand he gently tucked my fringe behind my ear so he could my eyes.

"You should smile more, Hawkeye," he said quietly, "It looks good on you."

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied. His hand moved slowly to my chin and he pulled my head forward so that our lips were close. I didn't try to pull back from him. When he was millimetres away from my lips I closed my eyes and let him kiss me.

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**Sorry to leave it at a cliff hanger. I'll update soon :)**


	5. New Year New Problems

**I don't own FMA. I hope you like this.**

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New Year, New Problems

I had never let him do this before in my life. But for some reason I just decided to let him. I don't know why I did but it just seemed so right. His hand moved round my neck to pull me closer to him, his other hand still securely on the small of my back. I moved my arm round so I could put my hand on his cheek. His grip tightened on me as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I felt my body completely relax as his tongue danced across mine.

For a while we just laid there, kissing each other until I suddenly pulled away. I felt like punching him so badly for doing that but I didn't. I stood up carefully so I didn't fall over again. Mustang looked up at me. He was staring at me.

"I'm sorry," he said. He made to get up but he grimaced. "Ow."

"Need a hand?" I asked offering to help him up. He waved his hand to tell me he didn't want any help. Instead he got to his feet by himself.

"Knowing me I would've slipped again," he said with a deep sigh. We looked at each other weirdly for a second. Mustang broke our eye contact by looking down and rubbing his temples. "Sorry."

"It's fine, _sir_," I said, putting emphasis on the 'sir' to remind him of his rank. He smiled sheepishly at me.

"Goodnight, Hawkeye," he said finally, "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, sir," I replied, "Don't fall over. Again."

"Will try not to," he said to me. We parted without another word to each other. I thought I heard him fall over again but I didn't care to look back and check on him because if I knew he'd fallen over I would be able to stop myself running to his aid.

Back in my apartment, well temporary apartment, Black Hayate came to greet me. He didn't make much noise. I looked down at him as I lent on the back of the front door. I sighed deeply. The dog looked at me quizzically.

"I'm fine," I told him, "Just stuff. Nothing to worry about."

Hayate barked in response. He walked back to his bed in the kitchen. I locked the door then went to my own bed in the bedroom. I sat on it as I unbuttoned my coat. I sighed again. Damn Mustang. Damn that man. He's always causing problems. I threw myself back onto the bed. I rolled over onto my side. I felt ill; probably too much whiskey and not enough food. I hated alcohol. I curled into a ball and fell asleep not even remembering to get undressed.

***

I hated the New Year. The year was normally kicked off by an inspection by General Grumman which was a pain because he would spend hours in our office talking to both Mustang and myself like we were children. He was my grandfather by blood so he was normally very chatty with me anyway. He saw Mustang as the grandson he never had since neither my mother nor my aunt had any sons. He often remarked to me (in private) how he'd love to have a grandson-in-law like him. Whenever he said that he would get a bullet shot at him, not matter how much he complained about it.

He arrived at ten, on the dot. He looked round the office to make sure everyone was present before he started to speak.

"Mustang," he greeted, "I hope you are well?"

"General, sir," Mustang replied with a snappy salute, "It's a pleasure seeing you. I hope you had a nice holiday in the south."

"Ah, yes, Megan spoilt us rotten," Grumman said. He turned his gaze on me. "She asked after you, my dear. She hasn't seen you in years. I was surprised she remembered you, but then again you can't forget family can you?"

"I suppose not, sir," Mustang replied after I remained silent for a few seconds too long.

"How were your holidays, Mustang?" Grumman went on. He walked a few pace round the office. "How many police reports do I have to sit down to this time?"

"Just four, sir," Mustang said.

"Four?" Grumman asked in mild surprise. "One for each of your subordinates?"

"No, sir," Mustang replied, "Four for arson against me. These four lost a bet."

I glanced at the guys with surprise. I didn't know they had drunk alcohol and lost the bet so the news was new to me. All of their faces dropped as Grumman spoke.

"Jolly good," he remarked. Mustang sat down at his desk and began signing his paperwork. The others followed what their commanding officer was doing. Grumman darted round the room checking things. I watched him as I carried some papers to the Colonel's desk. I walked slowly back to my seat and began my own paperwork. I was engrossed in my work when suddenly I felt a face close to mine.

"You look so much nicer all of a sudden," Grumman whispered, "Have you changed your hair?"

I jumped as I wasn't expecting him to talk to me like he did. "No, sir."

"Well there's something about you that just makes you seem like you're glowing," Grumman went on. He stood up straight. "Don't you think so, Mustang?"

"Hmm?" Mustang said, obviously not hearing what Grumman had said. The guys looked up. Havoc, who was sat opposite me, was looking at me oddly. When I looked round at the others they were all giving me strange looks.

"Doesn't my granddaughter look like she's glowing," Grumman repeated. Mustang looked at me which a quizzical look on his face.

"Erm…" he said.

"Yeah," Havoc said out of the blue. Grumman looked at him "She does seem to have a certain glow about her. Must be the change in climate."

"The air in Central is so much worse than the air here," Fuery agreed. Mustang was still looking at me weirdly. I closed my eyes. I hated being stared at like I was a freak or something.

"You mother used to glow like that whenever I saw her," Grumman said, "Well after she married your father."

Here he goes, I thought, spinning tales to everyone about the family I hate. The guys would ask me a thousand different questions about my father and mother as soon as the General left which would mean no more paper work.

"Of course straight after she married your father she was expecting you so your grandmother always assumed it was because she was expecting that she glowed so much," Grumman went on. I clenched my fists.

"Yeah, Major Hughes said that women glow when they're pregnant," Havoc agreed.

"Are you both insinuating that I'm pregnant?" I asked, trying and failing to keep the anger out of my voice.

"No, ma'am," Havoc said quickly. I opened my eyes and glared at my grandfather. I was waiting for his reply but he only stared back at me. There were minutes of silence where no one dared to speak for fear of a fight.

"She looks no different to me," Mustang said. Both my grandfather and I looked at him. He had returned to his paperwork. "Please don't upset my second in command, General."

Grumman bowed his head and left the room silently. I watched him go with an icy stare. That man was so dead later.

"Hawkeye," Mustang said, "Go calm down. Spend five minutes out on the firing range."

"I'm fine, sir," I replied. Mustang glared at me.

"You're annoyed and that's an order," he said. I got up out of my chair. I opened my drawer to get out my gun and ammunition. I slammed the drawer shut making everyone in the office cringe, apart from the Colonel. I walked out of the office with not so much as another word. As I slammed the door shut behind me I heard Havoc on the other side say: "God, she is pissed."

***

The Colonel joined me at the firing range after while. I didn't bother to take the time when I started or keep track of time while I was shooting. Mustang walked up to me loftily and lent on the wall staring at me until I stopped firing. I only would pause to reload the gun and I wasn't making an exception so he could have the opportunity to talk to me.

"Do you know how long you've been out here?" he asked once I started to reload.

"No," I replied, "Sir."

"It's almost two in the afternoon," he said rubbing his temples. I glanced at him. Almost four hours of shooting couldn't shift my annoyance. That was weird. I put down my gun and looked at the targets I'd been shooting at. Four hours of shooting and I still felt like going in Grumman's office and kicking the life out of him. How dare he bring up my family in front of the guys and not to mention hinting that I was pregnant when I wasn't? That old geezer, I could ring his neck. Mustang saw me tense.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Delightful," I replied sarcastically.

"Maybe you should go home," Mustang said, "I already have a room full of idiotic, mad people to order around, I don't need another one. It seems that stupidity and insanity are contagious."

I giggled.

That's when we both froze. I put my hand to my mouth. I turned to Mustang. He looked totally shocked by my reaction, stunned almost. I was shocked. I'd never giggled before. I'd just giggled like a little girl. Mustang stood up and quickly put his hand on head.

"You don't have a fever," he said, "And you're not clammy."

"I'm fine, sir," I said, but as I said it I felt my lip curling into a smile. Mustang was staring at me like I was some sort of freak. His gaze was upsetting me. I hated being stared at like that. I felt tears well up in my eyes. "Stop staring at me!"

"Sorry," he said, "I'm just concerned about you."

I turned my back to him just as tears started trickling down my cheeks. I couldn't help but drop down to my knees. Mustang rushed beside me.

"Hawkeye?" he asked softly. Without warning I launched myself at him, making him fall over. I wrapped my arms round him and started crying into his chest. "Ow…"

"I'm sorry, sir," I said. I felt his arms round my waist. He sighed.

"What the hell is going on here?" he asked, "Why the hell are you crying?"

"I don't know, sir," I said. I felt him glare at me even though I couldn't see him, "Honestly I don't."

"Get up," he ordered. I slowly sat up. He got to his feet and looked down at me. He rubbed his head. "Come on; let's get you to a doctor."

"I don't need –"

"You're crying in a heap on the floor. You giggled and you've been in a foul mood before that," Mustang snapped, "You need a doctor."

"I don't feel unwell," I said weakly.

"You could be stressed," Mustang said. He stepped forward and hoisted me onto my feet. He dragged back towards head quarters. We passed Havoc in the hallway.

"Havoc, go get the Lieutenant's gun from the firing range," he ordered, "If anyone calls, I'm taking Hawkeye to the doctors cos she won't go on her own."

"Yes, sir," Havoc said.

***

I was sat on the doctor's table glaring at Mustang. He didn't seem to care I was giving him a death glare. He was flicking through a magazine not even glancing up at me to check I was OK. I felt like an idiot sat on the table after being dragged here by my commanding officer. I hated him. It's a good thing I didn't have my gun with other wise I doubt he'd be walking now.

The doctor opened the door and walked in. He smiled at both of us as we looked at him.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye?" he asked looking straight at me. He held out his hand for me to shake. I took it reluctantly, "My name is Doctor Carmichael. What can I do you for?"

"Something's wrong with her," Mustang said, "She's been having mood swings all day."

"Mood swings you say?" Carmichael asked. He pulled out a note book and jotted something down. "When did you last have your period, Lieutenant?"

I remained silent. Mustang got up from his seat. "I'll be waiting outside for you."

"No, please, Colonel, stay," Carmichael said. Mustang's eyes widened as he slowly sat back down. He picked his magazine up and held it in front of him. I hated this doctor too. "Please don't mind him. Now, your period?"

"It's not due yet, not for another few days," I replied bitterly.

"When was the last time you had intercourse?" the doctor asked. I put my hand on my head and looked towards the Colonel. He had disappeared behind his magazine.

"Does he really have to stay for this?" I asked.

"Yes," Carmichael replied with a smile, "Officers tend to lie less when their CO is around. It's something I've noticed."

"Two years," I replied instantly regretting it. Guess what the boys would be talking about tomorrow.

"That rules out pregnancy," Carmichael said.

"I could've told you that," I moaned.

"Do you feel stressed at all?" the doctor asked.

"Not more than usual," I replied honestly, "I've got used to my job of baby sitting five grown men for six days a week."

"Do you drink much alcohol?"

"One or two bottles of wine a month," I replied, "I'm not a fan of alcohol."

"Do you eat many dairy products?"

"Milk mostly," I replied, "But not an awful amount."

"Do you have allergies?"

"Not really," I replied then I remembered my camouflage paint, "My camouflage paint used to irritate me but I found baby oil was quite useful for that."

"What annoys you the most?"

"Rattles," I said, "My uncle used to love waving a rattle in front of my face until I was five."

"Interesting," Carmichael said.

"What is?" I asked.

"Nothing," he replied, "Do you think about having children of your own?"

"Sometimes but it doesn't keep me up at night," I replied. I frowned. "Why do you ask?"

"Everything you said then," Carmichael said, "You made a reference to babies."

I looked at him quizzically. I noticed Mustang was looking at him too. Mustang seemed annoyed that Carmichael had said that.

"Forgive if I'm wrong," Carmichael said looking at his notes, "You're single, a Lieutenant in the military who works in an office full of men. You're in your twenties, the ideal age for a mother, but yet you aren't. You 'baby sit' your co-workers most of the week. You drink a few bottles of wine a month. You drink milk but not an awful amount. You use baby oil after using your camouflage paint. You get annoyed by rattles. You 'sometimes' think about children but it doesn't keep you up at night."

"Yes, that's what I've just told you," I said.

"My theory is that your sub conscious is trying to tell you something," Carmichael said, "Either you want to have children or you didn't have a very good childhood yourself."

"Both," I replied.

"That wasn't a question."

"I know," I replied.

"I'd like you to make an appointment after you have your next period so I can run some tests," Carmichael said, "Until then try to take it easy."

"OK," I said happily.

"That's it?" Mustang said.

"There's nothing more I can do until then," Carmichael said, "This could be the result of her menstrual cycle, PMS, you know."

"Sounds good," I said jumping off the table. Mustang eyed me cautiously.

"Please take care, Lieutenant," Carmichael said before leaving the room. I turned to Mustang and smiled at him.

"There," I said, "Happy now?"

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I'll update soon. I realise Hawkeye seems to be out of character a bit but all will explained.


	6. The House Call

**Hi there. Hopefully everything will be coming together soon. Please R&R :)**

**I don't own FMA, but I do own this....Enjoy!**

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The House Call

Mustang was still unconvinced that I was fine. He seemed to watch me closer over the next few days. I ignored him mostly because I was sure I was fine. The doctor was probably right, it was PMS. Who could blame me for being moody when I worked in an office like I did?

It was a Wednesday morning when Grumman made his way into our office. He ignored me but I didn't care. I was ignoring him too. He took Mustang out of the office and they were gone for quite a few hours.

"Hey," Havoc said to me, "Weren't you supposed to go to the doctors some time this week?"

"Who told you that?" I asked. Havoc shrugged.

"Mustang asked me to ask you," he replied airily, "You know he's worried about you but he doesn't want to sound like he's trying to control you."

I sat down in my seat. I felt a weird uneasy feeling in my stomach. I felt sick.

"Hey," Feury piped up, "Ma'am you don't look well at all."

"I'm fine," I replied, "Get back to work."

"You should see the doctor again," Havoc said, "Even if it is to make Mustang happier."

"Why should I bother?" I asked, "There's nothing wrong with me."

"Then why are you so pale then?" Havoc said. He sat up for a minute and then jumped to his feet. "First Lieutenant? Hawkeye?"

I felt myself slide of my chair onto the floor but I couldn't stop it. Once on the floor I just closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

***

I woke up suddenly. I sat up instantly looking round at my surroundings. Black Hayate barked at me. I looked round the room I was in. It was my room. Don't tell me those idiots had dragged me back home.

"You're awake?" Mustang asked suddenly appearing at the door. He'd probably been alerted by Black Hayate's bark.

"It seems so," I remarked. I went to get out of bed but I fell back onto my pillow again. I rubbed my head. I felt so floaty. I felt the bed sink as Mustang sat beside me looking at me in concern. His onyx eyes were looking over me. He was so handsome when he was concerned. Why did I think that? That's not right. I sat up again, starring into those eyes. He stroked my cheek with his hand.

"There's something wrong with you," he announced.

"Fine," I said, "I believe you."

I wanted him so badly to kiss me, but I knew he wouldn't. I sighed.

"I bet you've called the doctor," I stated. He nodded.

"He said it'd been over two weeks since your last appointment," he said, "I thought he told you to call him after your period."

I sighed. I smiled before speaking: "That's the problem. I haven't had it yet."

Mustang's face dropped.

"You haven't?" he repeated.

"I hate to admit it, but yeah," I said.

Mustang sighed. He got up off the bed and walked out of the room. He returned a minute or two later carrying me a mug of something hot. It was tea. I drank it cautiously not knowing what had been put in it. It seemed alright but with Roy Mustang you can't be too sure.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant?" he asked.

"It's a very slim chance because if I am, I don't know how it happened," I replied, "The only guy I've been close to in the last month or so is you in our midnight grope in Central in the ice."

Mustang scowled at me. "It wasn't a grope."

"Yeah, it didn't feel like it," I snapped, "You had your tongue down my throat."

"That's not groping," he snapped back.

"You were all over me," I said. I paused looking at him. "Sorry. I'm not quite sure why I said that."

"I was though," he admitted with a cocky grin. He left the room again.

"I didn't mind it," I said. I got out of bed and followed him. "It was a nice little fumble."

"Mrs Jolly," he said looking at me. He stopped and thought for a minute. "That's all we did, right?"

"Yes," I snapped neglecting to say 'unfortunately'. I paused for a second before falling to my knees and throwing up all the contents of my stomach onto the floor in front of me.

"Roy," I said, unable to keep the fear from my voice, "I need the doctor."

"He's on his way," he replied, He helped me to my feet and led me into the bedroom. He got me another blouse from out of my wardrobe before leaving the room. I changed quickly and settled myself in bed. I felt terrible. Not only were my insides aching but I'd just left Mustang to clear up after me.

After a few minutes I heard Black Hayate bark. Mustang opened the bedroom door a few minutes later after talking to someone. He was followed in by Carmichael. Carmichael looked at me with pity.

"I was worried when you didn't book an appointment," he said.

"I'm sorry," I said with a weak smile, "No period."

"Strange," he said. He got out his stethoscope and began checking my pulse on my arm. He was silent until he finished. When he was done he sat up straight and pulled out his notebook. He jotted something down and then dropped the book on the floor. "Could you sit up for me, please?"

I did as he asked. He began to examine my upper body. I noticed Mustang shift uncomfortably on the spot. Carmichael gently pushed me back down on the bed so he could examine my lower stomach. He paused. He reached for his stethoscope again and held it to my stomach. He pulled a face like he was confused.

"You don't have any stomach complaints?" he asked.

"Not usually, but I have been feeling queasy today," I replied.

"Have you gained weight?" he asked. I paused.

"I don't really check those sorts of things," I said, "But none of my clothes seem any tighter than usual."

"Hmm," Carmichael said. He picked up his bag off the floor and rummaged through it. "I need to take a blood sample."

I held out my left arm so he could take some blood from it. He pulled out a thin string of rubber which he tied round my arm just above my elbow. He then fiddled with a needle and gently inserted it into my vein. I decided to look away at this point. Blood gave me nightmares even if it was my own.

"What do you think it is?" Mustang asked. I turned to the doctor who shrugged.

"I can't say until I've done some tests," he replied. Mustang sighed. "I know it must be very frustrating for the both of you. Commanding officers don't like to see their subordinates out of action."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Mustang said. He rubbed his head. Carmichael looked at him waiting for an explanation. "Hawkeye's never sick. Havoc and others get the slightest snuffle and they'll be off for a week. I'll have time off if I'm sick but Hawkeye's never been sick before. I've known her years and never have I seen her fainting or throwing up."

"I'm sure it's just a bug," I replied. The doctor smiled at my optimism.

"I recommend some rest," he said, "Have a couple of days off."

"Sure," I said.

"I don't think it's too serious," Carmichael said, "I'll be off."

He got up and walked out of the door. Mustang followed him closing the door behind him. I settled myself into bed again, pulling the covers over me. After a minute or two Mustang opened the door. He looked at me with a smile.

"I'm going to pick up some work from the office," he said, "I'll come by a little later on once I've wrapped up everything over there. Do you want anything before I go?"

"Just some water please," I replied. He disappeared and reappeared a few seconds later with a glass of water.

"If I can't get out, I'll send some one over," he said placing the glass on my bed side table.

"I'll be fine on my own," I said. He smiled.

He walked out the bedroom. I heard him talking the Black Hayate before I heard the front door close and be locked. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

***

"Wow, you are ill if you're sleeping through the day," Rebecca said. I sat up quickly.

"Rebecca?" I asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Mustang sent me," she replied with a note of disgust in her voice, "He said that he couldn't get the time off and didn't trust any of the clowns in your office to look after you."

"I don't need looking after," I moaned.

"You fainted in the office," she said, "That's so unlike you."

"I know, I keep being told that," I snapped.

"Mustang was so worried," Rebecca said, "You should have seen the way he looked at me when he asked if I could come and look after you. Of course I don't mind. I would've been here sooner if I knew. I don't think something is sitting right with that man. He said he knew something was up but didn't know what."

"Yeah," I said. I swung my legs over the bed and stood up. Rebecca looked at me. "Have I put on weight?"

"Of course not," she replied with a smile.

"Have I got a certain glow about me?" I asked.

"Sort of," she said.

"Have I put weight on?" I asked again, this time glaring at her.

"You do look like you've put a pound or two on but that's because of the holidays, Riza," Rebecca said, "Why?"

"I know this sounds weird," I said sitting back down on the bed, "But I think I'm pregnant."

"How did that happen?" Rebecca snapped.

"I don't know," I snapped back, "The last time I was with a guy was like two years ago."

"What?" Rebecca gasped, "How do you do that?"

"I work too hard and I'm on call twenty four hours a day, seven days a week," I replied.

"Then you can't be pregnant," Rebecca said.

"The mood swings, the fainting, the sickness and the glow," I said, "Just like Gracier."

We both sighed deeply.

"Wait, then if you are then how?" Rebecca said. I shrugged. With both sat there thinking when suddenly I noticed a smile on Rebecca's face.

"What are you smiling about?" I asked.

"What if some alchemist, like Mustang used their hocus pocus to zap a baby in your belly," she said before laughing her head off. When she noticed I wasn't laughing she stopped. "Riza, it was a joke."

"Yeah but," I said slowly, "What if you're not so far off the truth?"

"You can't be serious," Rebecca said with a weird smile on her face.

"Since when have I made jokes," I snapped, "There's only one thing to do."

"I'll go to the store," Rebecca sighed picking up her bag.

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**Next Chapter will be up soon, I think, Computer permitting :)**


	7. The Test

**Hi. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. I'm glad people are enjoying it. **

**I don't own FMA :(**

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The Test

"Are you done yet?" Rebecca asked from the other side of the bathroom door. I looked up from the toilet. I scowled at the door even though I knew she couldn't see me. The test was on the sink. I was waiting for the result. This was so stupid. How on earth could I be pregnant? It didn't add up but then again I worked with a man who could create flames out of thin air, nothing was impossible.

"Riza! Hurry up!" Rebecca yelled. I heard a knock at the front door. Rebecca must have gone and answered it because I heard Black Hayate bark at someone like he was acknowledging them.

I stood up and looked at the test on the sink. It still hadn't changed colour. I sighed in relief. That was good. If it hadn't changed colour then that meant I wasn't pregnant. Smiling slightly I picked it up and was about to throw it in the bin when I noticed something odd about it. There was another knock at the door. I looked at it.

"Riza, Colonel Mustang is here," she said softly, "Hurry up I don't want to be left alone with him too long."

"I'll be right out," I said. Please don't let him ask what I'm doing because Rebecca would tell him. I sighed and looked back at the stick I was holding. It turned it over a few times to get a better look at it. I sat back down on the toilet starring at it. It was blue.

"Riza? You alright in there?" Rebecca asked through the door.

"Rebecca," I said quietly, "I just don't believe this."

"What?" she asked.

"It's blue," I replied. She screamed at the other side of the door. I heard foot steps come rushing into the bedroom next door.

"What's wrong?" I heard Mustang ask. I sighed.

"Nothing," Rebecca lied.

"Why the hell did you scream then?" he asked. I walked to the door and opened it. The two of them looked at me.

"How do you explain this, sir?" I asked, holding up the test in front of them. Mustang looked at it oddly like he didn't know what it was. Rebecca was eyeing with some uncertainty.

"Why don't you try another one?" she asked.

"Rebecca, it's my third one," I snapped. Mustang was still looking confused. "It's a pregnancy test, sir. It turns blue if you are pregnant."

"Oh, right," he said. He paused. "What!"

I walked past them in my room and threw myself down on the bed. I sighed again as Rebecca and Mustang stared at me.

"I thought you said to Carmichael-" Mustang began.

"I wasn't lying," I snapped in reply, "Believe me I wasn't lying. I guess I should phone him."

"He did say he thought you were having a phantom pregnancy," Mustang said, "But I'm not sure a pregnancy test would play along."

"I guess so," I agreed.

"What we need to know is if she is pregnant then how did she get that way?" Rebecca said. Mustang nodded.

"Make an appointment with the doctor," he ordered.

"Who are you? My father?" I snapped. I clasped my hands round my mouth again but luckily Mustang chuckled.

"Hey, they're not all that accurate but the doctor will confirm it if it's true," he said. He walked out the room. A few seconds later I heard the front door close.

"That's a sign of one jealous man, Riza," Rebecca said.

"If you say so," I replied.

***

"It's…It's…uncanny," Carmichael said. He was looking over the results of a test he did on me a few days before. I had explained everything to him and he'd happily obliged to test me himself. Now he was totally stomped for words. "Lieutenant Hawkeye, this confirms your pregnancy."

"Really?" I asked. I looked at him. "Is there another test?"

"I've done them all, Miss Hawkeye," he replied. I scowled.

"Don't call me 'miss', doctor," I snapped. He smiled weakly at me to offer an apology. "I need something to get rid of it then."

"Get rid of it?" he asked, "Oh no, no, Lieutenant. Until I can tell you how this came to be then you won't be getting rid of it."

"But it's my choice," I said desperately.

"No it's not," he said looking away from me, "I'm bound by law to report everything and as soon as I got the results I phoned them in to your superiors."

"You called headquarters?" I asked. Did that mean Mustang knew before me? I sat back to think of his face when he got the call, but if he'd received a call then he would've come with me or something. "Who?"

"Pardon?" the doctor asked.

"Who did you call?" I asked. Carmichael blinked a few times.

"Well at first, General Grumman and then I was put through to Central," he replied sheepishly. I sighed. So everyone would know soon enough. If Hughes got the messages then yeah, it'd be round central by now. Carmichael put his hand on mine and looked into my eyes. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant."

"You had to do what you had to," I said. He shook his head violently.

"Not for that," he said. There was a knock at the door. "Come in."

General Basque Grand walked into the room. He glared down at the doctor and then his beady eyes settled on me. I shuddered. The Iron Blood Alchemist was stood right in front of me. I remembered the last time I saw him, back in Ishval.

"Hawkeye," he said to me in his gruff sounding voice, "Please come with me."

I reluctantly stood up but instead of following Grand like he ordered I turned to Carmichael.

"I don't blame you for this, doctor," I said with a smile, "I would've done the same thing too."

I left before he could utter a word, keeping in step with Grand.

"You've got guts, Lieutenant," he said, "Of course I knew that back in Ishval."

"Yes, sir," I replied as we walked through the hospital corridor.

"I'm surprised Mustang's not around, he's normally with you," Grand said, "Or you're with him, more like."

"He's capable of taking care of himself," I replied coldly, "It's the other men I worry about, sir."

"His little gang, do you mean?"

"Yes, sir. They are very well trained but sometimes they can behave like children," I explained.

"I see," Grand said. By now we were outside. There was a black car waiting for us. I followed Grand to the car. He opened the door and I climbed in. He followed me. "I was sent to observe you over the next couple of weeks."

"To make sure that the claims are true?" I asked.

"Exactly," Grand said, "The Fuhrer doesn't want to rush into things before he's sure."

"The Fuhrer? Rush into things?" I asked.

"He thinks this is a break through," Grand said, "He was fascinated by it the moment he heard about it. Just think of the possibilities of this if a woman could have children without a man."

"You could raise an army of super soldiers based on the elite or the best," I said. Grand smiled.

"You catch on quick," he said. It was my turn to smile now.

"I don't know how it's happened," I said, "Even Colonel Mustang doesn't seem to know."

"You told him?" Grand asked.

"I told him what I thought but he wanted confirmation from the doctor," I replied coldly. I tensed. "Don't you dare harm him."

"Is that a threat?" Grand asked.

"Yes, because if you do then you'll probably never work it out," I snapped.

"You're very emotional at the moment, Hawkeye, Maybe you should calm down a little before I get bored of your outbursts," Grand said.

"If you hurt me and the baby dies then who'll be the one who feels the wrath of the Fuhrer?" I asked. Grand glared at me while a smirked back.

"You've got guts, Lieutenant," he repeated.

***

The car stopped and Grand got out of the car. Once again he held the door for me to get out. I looked at the building as I climbed out of the car. Grand led me across the courtyard into the building towards Grumman's office. He opened the door to my grandfather's office and walked in like he owned the place. I followed suit to find my grandfather sat behind his desk and, to my surprise, Mustang stood by the window.

"Colonel Mustang," Grand greeted, "I suppose you should be here."

"I asked him to be here," Grumman said, "He is Riza's commanding officer after all. He has a right to know."

"He already knows," Grand said. Grumman looked towards Mustang who nodded.

"I've been aware of the situation but I was waiting for a confirmation before I reported it, sir," he agreed. Grand glared at him. He then turned to me.

"Sit down," he ordered. I sat on a chair in front of my grandfather's desk. I hadn't done this in a while. Grumman was looking at me in a concerned sort of way. I didn't feel like looking back at him. Instead I was looking at Mustang who was staring out of the window. I could see that he was thinking about something but I wouldn't bring attention to him. Grand was pacing behind me.

"The Fuhrer is very interested in Hawkeye," he stated. The use of 'Hawkeye' made both Grumman and Mustang glare at him. My grandfather hated that name and Mustang didn't approve of Grand using my surname so informally. "He sees this as an opportunity to research procreation without a mate."

"No need to make me sound human," I muttered. I noticed grins flicker across Mustang and my grandfather's faces. Grand however clamped down on the back of my chair.

"Miss Hawkeye, please," he said, "First we must distinguish how this has come about and then observe it. We must consider the cost on Miss Hawkeye and whether it is a positive result over all."

"_Lieutenant_ Hawkeye," Mustang said, "Shouldn't be treated like a lab rat. She's a valuable member of my team. You can't just take her away like some puppet and then start screwing with her."

Grand glared at Mustang. Grumman was nodding like he agreed with Mustang.

"I wouldn't allow this to any of my staff," he said, "Even though she is my grand daughter, which is a fact I can't ignore, she is also a member of this military even more so than a member of my family. I won't allow you to experiment on her. It's unethical. However, I must agree this is very interesting and for the good of Lieutenant Hawkeye, she must be well looked after to ensure her survival."

"I understand your concern," Grand went on, "But you must understand-"

"And must understand me, General," Grumman said getting to his feet, "With all due respect I cannot allow Lieutenant Hawkeye to go back to Central with you. I cannot let her become a walking experiment for no reason until I am quite confident that her situation is confirmed in the way I know best; the waiting game. So until I am sure she is one hundred percent pregnant I will not release her to the state."

Grand gripped the chair tighter. He glared at Mustang. "I bet you had something to do with this?"

"He did not," Grumman replied. Grand stood up and stormed out of the room, almost taking the doors off their hinges as he slammed them behind him. Mustang stood up straight, relaxing slightly.

"I must admit I was impressed, General," he said, "Not many would dare stand up to Basque Grand."

"Yes, I'm surprised too," Grumman said sinking into his seat, "I have no idea what just came over me."

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Please R&R :) Thank you. The Next Chapter will be up very soon :)


	8. Moods

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this :) Hopefully this is a little comical :)**

**I don't own FMA**

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Moods

"Now I know where you get your courage from," Mustang said as we walked back to the office.

"No. My grandmother has rubbed off on him, I suppose," I explained, "She's the one who would give anyone a mouthful if she thought it was necessary."

I rubbed my stomach. It was aching a little and I felt quite ill. Mustang looked at me. I sighed.

"I'm fine, sir," I said, "As long as no one gives me any grief, I'll be fine."

"They haven't been told," he stated, meaning the guys in the office. I nodded gratefully. Trust Mustang to be thoughtful like that. He was always looking out for me even if I wanted to or not. It was the reason why I'd remained so loyal to him. I smiled. Trust me to be in sentimental mood, I hoped I would burst into tears.

Mustang opened the office door and held it open for me. The guys were working at their desks. They looked up at me as I entered.

"It's good to see you, Lieutenant," Falman greeted.

"Yeah, I hope you're feeling better," Breda said with a smile. I looked at Havoc. He had an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He grinned at me.

"Well it's nice to see Hell has frozen over while I'll been off," I said as I settled myself in my chair, "You've kept on top of your paper work? I was expecting to use my gun the moment I walked in."

"We've all been worried about you ma'am," Fuery said in his small voice, "We tired our best to make sure you wouldn't get worse when you returned."

I smiled weakly. This was mostly to stop myself bursting into tears but also to offer some reassurance to them all that I was fine. I opened my drawer to find a pen so I could start work. The guys began working again. Mustang was looking at me. I glanced at him and saw a look of pure admiration on his face. I returned to my work.

His phone rang after a few minutes. He picked up.

"Mustang," he said almost lazily.

"Roy! How-the-hell-could-you-not-tell-me-what-the-hell-was-going-on!" roared the voice of Maes Hughes from the other end. Mustang flinched pulling the phone from his ear so he wasn't deafened.

"Hey!" he shouted back, "There's no need to deafen me, Hughes!" His voice went to his normal level, "What you going on about anyway?"

"Oh…" there was a very long pause. Hughes suddenly started talking more quietly. Mustang was nodding.

"Yeah, she's had a few days off," he said, "Nothing too serious…yes…yes…I know, Hughes."

He glanced at me and slowly turned his chair round she I couldn't see his face.

"What's the word in Central?" Mustang asked, "Yeah…Really? Is that what they're saying? Well then I guess the lot of 'em are suckers for a fairy tale…Rumours, yes…it's not humanly possible."

Mustang started to laugh heartily. His suddenly swung his chair back round.

"Yeah, I suppose she is something more like an angel…" there was another pause, "Well that's just ridiculous, Hughes…Of course, not…I didn't say that…Now you're annoying me…No…No…No… Bye, Hughes."

He put the phone down. He sighed but smiled.

"Anything interesting, chief?" Havoc asked.

"Not really," Mustang replied, "Hughes and his intel. It makes me laugh."

I was just about to put pen to paper when my phone rang. I looked at it. It hardly ever rang. The guys were eyeing it with suspicion too. Mustang was even looking at it weirdly. I slowly went to pick it up.

"Hello? Hawkeye here," I said cautiously.

"Hey, Hawkeye! I was just phoning to check –"

I screamed throwing the phone away from. It flew over the table and hit Havoc in the forehead, knocking him back off his chair. Mustang was instantly on his feet. He walked over to Havoc but instead of helping him up he picked up the phone.

"Maes, take a break," he ordered. He put the phone back on its place. He looked down at Havoc. "Get up."

"Sir," Havoc replied. Mustang turned to me, his expression was a mixture of concern and anger.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied breathlessly, "He just scared me to death."

Havoc was up on his feet rubbing his head in a peculiar way.

"I gotta say, Lieutenant," he said, "You're dangerous with pretty much every appliance aren't you?"

"I'm so sorry, Havoc," I said. I got up and quickly left the office. I stood outside for a moment or too before deciding where the hell I was going to run off too. Unfortunately while I was stood waiting, Mustang came to find me.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I wiped my eyes as a stray tear ran down my cheek.

"I'm not sure," I replied, "I just need a moment."

"Take as long as you want," Mustang said putting his hand on my shoulder. I sighed as I put my head against the wall. "Great throw, may I add?"

"Thank you, sir," I said smiling. He returned to the office. I slid down the wall so I was sat down. It was official, I was loosing my mind.

***

Over the next few weeks everyone in the office soon realised that something was up with me. What seemed to frighten the guys more were my occasional outbursts of laughter rather than when I was yelling at them for screwing up or making too much noise. My laughter seemed to unnerve them. Mustang didn't seem to mind me much. He'd just work while I went around my usual business.

The only time when he did get involved was the day after the guys had been on a night time stake out. I hadn't been included in this (despite my shouting at my grandfather) since I was exempt from such operations due to my 'situation'. I didn't speak much to the boys that day. I decided to let them take it easy since it had been a hard mission for them.

Around three in the afternoon Mustang had dozed off. Feury was having a little difficulty with the stapler. I was trying to help him out when I sliced the end of my finger on a sharp bit. Loosing my temper I had flung the stupid thing across the room, unfortunately towards Mustang. It didn't hit him but hit his desk causing him to jump and click his fingers at me.

Luckily the fire ball missed me but my immediate reaction was to go straight for my gun in my holster. For the longest two minutes I was stood facing the Colonel, both of us ready to fire at each other if either one of us moved. We only resolved to lower our guard when Fuery fainted.

Whenever Hughes phoned, he was always cut short due to me yelling at the Colonel for yelling at him. Hughes was not a fool and soon stopped trying to make Mustang mad after a week or so. I couldn't stand their childish arguments anymore.

Another thing I started to notice was my cravings and how frequently I felt like eating something, whether it was chocolate or tomatoes or both at the same time. I had to try and not give into them while I was the office although I did start taking longer lunches so I could go and buy everything I wanted and eat it gradually. I was starting to put on weight now however my uniform would never show it.

I would notice how much weight I was putting on when I was getting dressed in the morning. My room had a large mirror just next to the wardrobe. No matter how hard I tried to avoid it, I could see myself in it. After a while it started to annoy me. One Tuesday morning I had had enough of it. I was half dressed (I just needed to put on my jacket) when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I hadn't slept well that night so I was quite moody anyway. Without thinking I pulled out my gun and shot at it three times. It crumpled to the floor. Shards flew everywhere. I grinned, feeling quite pleased with myself at solving the problem. It wasn't until Black Hayate poked his head round the door that I felt quite bad. He whined at me in that way that made me want to burst into tears, but I resisted.

By the time I walked into the office I found that all the guys were already there waiting for me to fetch them their work. I was even surprised to see Mustang sat at his desk looking quite bored.

"You're late," he stated as I closed the door behind Black Hayate. "I hope everything is alright."

"Yes, sir," I replied, "I just had a mirror problem this morning."

"Mirror problem?" he asked. I nodded. He sighed. "What sort of mirror problem?"

"It…broke," I said slowly, "I dropped my gun on it, sir."

The guys looked at me weirdly but only Mustang voiced their thoughts.

"Was it on the floor?" he asked.

"No, sir," I replied, "On the wall."

"And you 'dropped' your gun on it?" he asked raising his eyebrows. I was about to reply when he turned his head towards Fuery. "Go and fetch our work."

"Yes, sir," Fuery snapped with a salute. He got up off his chair and hurried out of the room. Mustang looked at the remaining guys.

"One of you pop down to Grumman," he ordered, "I need his permission for something."

Havoc jumped to his feet and walked to the Colonel's desk. Mustang hastily jotted something down on a piece of paper, folded it in half and gave it to Havoc. Havoc left the room hurriedly too.

"Breda, Falman," he said, "Go and get us some coffee from the cafeteria."

"Yes, sir!" they snapped, jumping out of their chairs. They almost ran out of the room. They all knew that the Colonel wanted to get rid of them so he could talk to me alone. I sighed. I walked to my desk and put my bag on it.

"I shot my mirror," I said after a few seconds of silence, "I was fed up of seeing a fat me."

"You're not fat," Mustang said. I noticed his face fall in an almost comical way. He was expecting a better explanation. I giggled slightly, feeling slightly relieved he wasn't going to yell at me. Instead he got up on his feet and slowly walked towards my desk. He took my left hand and looked at it carefully. I noticed what he was looking at. I had a small shard of glass embedded in my skin. It was bleeding slightly. He carefully removed it and stared at me with a bemused look on his face.

"You ever think about taking up a hobby that won't harm you?" he asked.

"Believe me sir," I said with a smile, "The last thing I want to do is shooting mirrors for a hobby."

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**Thanks for reading :) The next chapter should be up tomorrow :) Bye RSx**


	9. Taken

**I don't own FMA.**

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Taken

My moods started to fluctuate more and more as the weeks ticked on until Basque Grand returned to Headquarters. My immediate thought was to shoot him the moment he stepped out of the car, unfortunately I soon found that I would have to be in a queue to get at him, after Mustang and a few others. He came to find me the moment he arrived.

He burst into the office making the guys freeze on the spot in pure terror. I was unbothered by his sudden return but Mustang was instantly defensive.

"Miss Hawkeye," he greeted. I ignored him since that wasn't my name during office hours.

"Please, General," Mustang said calmly, "My subordinates and I are very busy."

"I would prefer it if you didn't interfere, Mustang," Grand said. He tuned on me. I was sorting out some papers in the filing cabinet. I didn't even look at him. "The doctor reports that you are coming along nicely."

No reply.

"You know what that means, don't you?" he asked. Still I refused to reply until he greeted me with my proper name. I walked past him to give the Colonel some papers. He touched my hand. I looked at his face. His expression was clear. Do not mess with Grand. "I've heard reports of your mood swings, so very unlike you."

"I suppose so, but I'm in a stressful job," I said. Mustang kicked me under his desk, prompting me to say 'sir' but I ignored him. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the others glaring at me like I had a death wish. I was perfectly safe, when all said and done.

"You've got guts, Miss Hawkeye," Grand said, "And it is Miss Hawkeye, now."

He pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket. He handed it to me.

"You're now retired, Miss Hawkeye," he said with a smile.

"Well, then," I said, "At least I don't have to call you sir."

Grand frowned. I heard a soft slapping noise as Mustang put his head in his palm.

"You will be moved to Central," Grand said.

"Excuse me?" Havoc said involuntary. Grand gave him a look. "I'm sorry, sir, but why?"

I sighed deeply.

"You nub skulls," I said, "I wondered if you had noticed but clearly you didn't. Since you haven't noticed the mood swings, constant running to the bathroom and weight gain, I am glad to inform you that I am pregnant."

"WHA!" the four of them said rising to their feet.

"That's not possible," Falman said.

"Then who's the father!" Havoc yelled. I shrugged.

"Here's the beauty of it," I said, "I haven't had sex in two years. That's why I'm being dragged off to Central to become a guinea pig so that the Fuhrer can do the same to other women."

Grand smiled. I met his smile with a smirk.

"Well, I guess I'm your problem now, Grand," I said airily. I turned to the guys. "It's been a pleasure working with you Jean, Heymmens, Vato and Kain. Please look after Roy while I'm gone. I should really go home and pack. Good bye."

"Hawkeye," Mustang said suddenly. His voice was angry. He glared at me. "You don't have to go."

I smiled at him kindly.

"I'm sorry," I said, "But the sooner I'm out of your way the sooner you can get things done. My mood swings were bound to drive you up the wall sooner or later so it's best if I leave. Besides I'm ready for some time off and just in time for my cravings to kick in. I'll be fine."

"I'm glad you've decided to come willingly," Grand said.

"The sooner I have the kid and hand it to the state, the sooner I can return," I replied.

"They'll always be a job here for you, ma'am," Havoc said. He saluted me. The others followed suit. I turned lastly to the Colonel who was looking down at his desk.

"Sir," I said. He looked up. He smiled and saluted. I walked round the desk to him and hugged him.

"Stay in touch," he said sadly. I nodded. Grand clasped my shoulder and pulled me gently away from him. I then followed him out the room. Once the door was shut I grinned.

"I want pickles," I demanded.

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Sorry, this is a short chapter but I've decided to be nice. The next one is also up.


	10. Hostel

**I hope you enjoy this. I felt a little mean just putting a short chapter on so here you go.**

**I don't own FMA.**

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Hostel

Since deciding the best thing to do was to go along with whatever Grand said I had also decided to make his life hell. The restraints on my emotions seemingly disappeared, more so than when I was working with the guys. I had no real reason to hold back and Grand annoyed me.

The house that the Fuhrer had assigned to us was out West, half way between the Western Headquarters and Central in a small town of Gainor. The house was built back in the last century and had all the features of an old house. There was a sweeping staircase in the hallway that led to a balcony before the hallway started on the second floor. The kitchen was to one side on the ground floor while the longue area was to the other. It was decorated in the style of an old house. The colour scheme was mostly blues and greys which made the house seem very dull and miserable. Exactly how I felt in my current condition.

Grand, luckily, didn't stay with us all that long before going back to Central where he belonged. Instead I was dumped on a Military doctor called Bjorn Fritz who was supposed to have some sort of knowledge into my condition. What I would give to talk to someone who had been in my situation.

Bjorn, as he liked to be called, was a quirky alchemist doctor who had been enrolled in the military at a reasonably young age. He was full of energy which seemed out of character for his job but was a pleasant relief from the dull nature of my life. We didn't talk very much. He lived at one side of the house while I lived at the other side. The only time we met was when I had an appointment, never any other time.

My constant companion was Black Hayate who was allowed to come with me. I would take him for walks round the town and round the garden whenever I got the chance. We both hated to be kept inside all day. At night he would snuggle down at the end of my bed making sure that no one came into the room.

I received a few letters from the guys. Even though they came irregularly I would read them for weeks and weeks until the next one came. Each one held a little bit of my sanity which was very little if I was relying on those four.

The last letter I had received had gone like this:

_Dear Hawkeye,_

_Everything has calmed down, finally, and we're back on top of the work. The Colonel's new assistant arrived yesterday morning. She's a quiet woman who doesn't look like much. She isn't in the military but works in the bureaucracy. Colonel Mustang hates her, he won't admit it but you can tell. After years of having you around I guess he's not going to warm up to someone new straight away. He's almost flamed her twice._

_Hughes' phone calls have returned which is probably the only source of amusement we get around here, mostly because Miss Abigail (the new assistant) starts mouthing off to the Colonel until he puts down the phone. She's one of those who likes it done by the book. We're worked to the bone now. It seems only the Colonel who dares stand up to her seeing as he is our commanding officer and her boss but she acts like she's the one in charge (hence why she's almost been flamed so many times)._

_The Colonel won't admit how much he misses you, but we can all tell he does. He says more and more every day how he wishes you were here with us. He says it was much more fun when you were around. Even General Grumman, who had very little to do with you, comes into the office every lunch time looking quite depressed. He feels awful for letting Grand drag you away like he did, although he's quite impressed by the way you handled him. They play chess now while Miss Abigail yells at them to get on with work. I must admit it is quite amusing._

_We were called out to investigate the disappearance of some livestock the other week. The Colonel decided to only put myself and Breda on the task because he didn't think it was much use. He's really annoyed at the moment. Miss Abigail sends us on missions which don't really fall into our job descriptions. She assigned Havoc and Falman to another problem a few days ago where two local bar owners were arguing over customers. It was quite bad I think because the two had started fighting in the middle of the street. The Colonel wasn't too impressed by this either but he had no other choice but to send them._

_I hope you and Black Hayate have settled into your new home. We should be getting some leave soon so we might pop to visit you or at least pop into Central to get you something nice. The Colonel is itching to come and see you although we don't know why. He's been researching quite heavily how you're _(a few crossed out words later) _expecting. He seems to be quite tired although Havoc has suggested that he and Miss Abigail are sleeping together, but then again, the Colonel has more taste than her. Besides he's still worrying about you and Havoc has a dirty mind._

_We all hope to see you soon, but we'll phone first before we pop in. Please write back soon and if you need anything don't hesitate to ask._

It was signed by all of them apart from the Colonel. I sighed as a read over the letter again. Trust Mustang to sink his teeth into the nearest woman after I left, but then again I had to take Fuery's point, Havoc did like to fantasize. I sat back in my chair as I thought about writing back. I often wondered if Mustang knew about these letters or if he read the ones I sent. I decided not to dwell on those thoughts.

_Dear guys,_

_I'm sure everything Miss Abigail is making you do is perfectly fine. I'm settled now although I doubt I'll ever get used to the doctor seeing me every day. He's a weird guy who tells the worse jokes, even worse than the clerk in finance. I'm getting pretty bored of sitting around doing nothing all day and would be thankful for some company. Please call before you drop in, I never know when Grand is going to show up and I doubt he'd like me seeing all of you._

_At the minute I've put on a few more pounds but the doctor has also put me on a tight diet. It's not really that good and he refuses to allow me to eat junk which means most of my cravings are ignored._

The door of my room swung open. Doctor Fritz was staring at me. At first I thought that I had missed my appointment with him but I noticed he was holding a book in his hands. He seemed to be shaking slightly. He slumped to the floor.

"It's all too much," he stated quietly, "I just can't understand it at all."

I got to my feet and slowly walked towards him.

"How can you create life through alchemy? How can you create something that is impossible? How can you by pass every law to create something?" he murmured.

"What have you found out?" I demanded. He shook his head.

"I don't know," he said, "It doesn't make sense. It just seems to have appeared. Whoever did this to you had a lot of knowledge of forbidden alchemy. It seems they targeted you for a reason however I don't know why. They had to be close to you."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. He looked at me dead in the eye. I felt a little uncomfortable as he did so.

"Have you got any marks on your body that look like tattoos?" he asked. I was reluctant to reply but I soon gave in after that look in his eyes. He was desperate.

"I have," I replied slowly, "However I had an accident in Ishval which destroyed them."

"Then how this happen?" he asked. I smiled at him.

"My father put these marks on my back but I never saw them," I said, "But he once took on a student who should be able to help you…"

***

I was sat outside in the morning glancing at some flowers in the back garden. I had just finished my appointment with Carmichael. He was happy at my development however he was a bit cautious about my diet. He was going to try and modify it a little. Black Hayate was in the house sleeping. He had become such a lazy dog.

"You know, you're more scheming when you're pregnant than any other time," came a voice behind me. I slowly turned to see Mustang stood with his hands in his pockets, a small grin on his face.

"Colonel?" I asked as I stood up. He immediately looked down at my stomach.

"You seem well," he said. I laughed and took a few steps towards him. He pulled me into a hug. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too, sir," I agreed.

"So," he said pulling away from me, "Why was I called here?"

"Fritz needs your help," I explained, "He thinks that my father's secrets have something to do with my pregnancy, but he doesn't seem to know how or why."

"That's what I thought too," Mustang said. He put his chin in his hand.

"Fuery said you had been researching this," I said, "That's why I decided to mention you. I knew you could only get so far without seeing me so this was probably the best step forward."

"Thinking as usual," Mustang mused. He relaxed. We strolled back into the house. Mustang glanced at me. "I need to see your tattoos."

"Fine," I said. I smiled at him as he hurriedly looked away from me as he realised what showing him would mean. It was almost like the first time I had showed him my father's secrets. He was too embarrassed to look at me for days afterwards. I found that I was laughing at myself.

"What's the matter?" Mustang asked in an agitated way.

"Nothing," I said, "I hear you've got a new assistant."

"Oh yeah, she's great," he remarked. His voice was caked in sarcasm. "She's so…efficient."

"Efficient?"

"Yeah, efficient."

"Havoc says you're sleeping with her," That made the Colonel stop dead in his footsteps. He shuddered.

"Never in a thousand years," he said after a minute or two. It was obvious that he despised the woman. I looked at him trying to read if that was true or not. He was telling the truth. He hated her.

"That's what I thought," I went on, "You know what Havoc is like."

"Yeah," Mustang said. He seemed suddenly depressed.

"What's wrong, sir?" I asked.

"Why does everyone think I sleep with any woman I see?" he asked.

"You give that impression," I replied almost coldly.

"Do I?" he said with a smirk, "I don't mean to."

"Yes you do," I said, "Men use women as a mark of their masculinity. How many they sleep with earns them extra brownie points."

Mustang smiled weakly at me. "You have a very low expectation of men, Hawkeye."

"I know," I replied, "It's so that I don't get disappointed when they screw things up."

We both laughed at what I had said. The Colonel put his arm round my shoulder and walked with me into the house. It was weird because it felt like we had been friends for years. Even though we had we never acted like this. Now it just felt comfortable how he was talking to me and acting around me. This is probably just what the doctor ordered.

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The next chapter will be on soon. please review!!!!


	11. Answers

**Sorry for the long delay. I've been so busy over the last couple of days with one thing and another. Thanks for all your reviews :) Please enjoy...**

**I don't own FMA**

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Answers

"Careful," Mustang said with a note of humour in his voice, "I may have cold hands."

I closed my eyes slightly as I felt him touch my back. His hands were warm. My blouse was rolled up to half way up my back while my skirt had been unzipped at the back so that Mustang could see the entire transmutation circle.

I heard him scribbling on a piece of blank paper. He was copying it so he could look at it any time he wanted without me sitting on his bed like I was at the moment. He stopped scribbling for a second to trace the circle with his pencil end. I giggled as he did that.

"Sorry," I said, "That tickled."

"It's ok," he replied. After a few more minutes he got to his feet and walked across the room. "Can you lay on your back for me?"

I did as he asked although I had no idea why he wanted me to do this. I watched him flick through a book. He walked slowly back across the room, stumbling on some other books that were on the floor. He sat back on his chair. He produced a pen out of his pocket. Slowly he leaned forwards and drew on my stomach. I looked at what he'd drawn. It was a small black 'X'. It was quite low down. Normally I would've glared at him for daring to put his hand that low down but I figured he was on to something.

"Can you roll over?" he asked. I glared at him for a second or two. "Please," he added hastily.

"I didn't realise I was turning into a dog," I moaned as I rolled onto my stomach.

"A dog wouldn't complain so much," he retorted. I sighed as I finally finished on my stomach. I was always cautious about being on my stomach because of the baby. Mustang shifted himself forward a little. His pen was poised as he drew another, what felt like, 'X' on my lower back. "Hmm…"

"What's wrong," I asked. I looked at him. He was sat back in his chair with his hand cupped round his chin. "Can I get up?"

"One minute," he said. He slowly turned me onto my side. I watched him for a second. His eyes were darting between the 'X's. He let go of me and took a few steps back. He turned his back to me. "You can get up if you want."

I quickly zipped up my skirt and sat up on the bed so I could sort out my blouse. In a matter of minutes I was properly dressed again. I sat staring at the Colonel as he milled round the room looking for a book.

"Erm…" he said standing up and rubbing his head, "Where's that book?"

"What book?" I asked.

"It's sort of blue with silver Xing writing on it," he replied. I looked to the side of the bed. It was lying on the floor. I picked it up.

"Is this it?" I asked. Mustang turned to me. He smiled and took it off me gently.

"Thanks," he said, "You can go if you want. I'm going to start working now."

"Ok," I said getting to my feet. I stood for a minute watching him flick through the book. How on earth did he understand Xingese? He didn't look at me. I walked out of the room and quietly closed the door behind me. I paused for a minute wondering what I should do next. Then I remembered I had an appointment with Fritz.

***

The Colonel spent as much time around me as Fritz did. On the fourth day of his visit I decided to take him some dinner up. I hadn't seen him eat anything since he arrived and it was quite common for alchemists to neglect their meals while they were working on something. My father was the exact same.

I made him a light snack using some food from Fritz's personal store. I didn't think Mustang would like my food very much and there wasn't much I could do with it either. After half an hour of cooking I was finally ready to take him some food. I put the plate on a rectangular metal tray. I also put a glass of water on it and carried it up stairs.

I knocked on his door cautiously. After a few seconds I heard foot steps. Mustang opened the door.

"What's up?" he asked. I felt like a little girl again stood outside of his door with a tray in my hand.

"I made you some food," I stated as naturally as I could, "I haven't seen you eat since you arrived so I thought I'd make you something."

"You're a life saver, Hawkeye," he said happily. I gave him the tray. He returned into his room but he left the door wide open as if he was inviting me in. I walked cautiously in to the room. Mustang had put books everywhere. A few were open on the floor while others were sprawled across the desk. It had certainly gotten messier since I was last here. "I haven't eaten since two in the morning."

"You should really eat more," I said. I perched on his bed. He was eating what I had given him without much complaint. He had a book open and was reading something. I sighed.

"Have you been up to much?" he asked.

"No," I said with a shake of the head, "Nothing."

"Maybe you should get a hobby," he suggested.

"I did like to shoot my guns but Fritz won't let me anymore," I replied. I saw Mustang nod. He suddenly turned to face me.

"That's mean," he stated. He shuffled his chair a bit closer to me. "Do you want to know what I've found out?"

"Depends," I said, "How much have you found out and how complicated is it?"

"I don't know if it's any good or not but I need to talk to someone about it," Mustang said. I nodded waiting for him to start talking. "So far I think that your father's behind this."

"My father?" I asked not even trying to hide the disgust from my voice.

"Yeah," Mustang said, "See here," he held up a picture of the transmutation circle off of my back and pointed to a section on it, "This represents new life. Here," he said pointing at the other end of the circle, "this represents a human being. And here," he said pointing at the middle of the transmutation circle, "This represents boy."

I took the drawing from his hand and looked over it myself. Sure enough there was a seed shaped object which meant new life, a stick person and the symbol for a boy. I paused for a second.

"Does that mean I'm having a boy?" I asked. Mustang paused for a second too. He glanced at me.

"I guess so," he muttered. He sat back on his chair and closed his eyes. I looked down at my stomach and gently stroked it. I was having a baby boy. If I knew that I should be coming up with names for it.

Mustang slid his hand down his face. He was tired. He seemed complete exhausted. With his other hand he was tapping his leg nervously.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Mustang looked at me.

"Hawkeye," he said suddenly very seriously, "The transmutation circle only reacts with DNA."

"So?" I asked, "What does that mean?"

He suddenly came forwards so he was close to me. He slowly lifted up my blouse.

"I'm sorry this may hurt a little," he said quietly. He scrapped my back with something. I felt a pang of pain but nothing too serious. He then withdrew from me. He scooted back over to his desk. "You're O Positive, right?"

"Yes," I replied.

"I think the tattoo ink is actually made by a combination of blood and ink," Mustang said. I shuddered. My father used blood to make the transmutation circle. Was it his blood or mine? "I think there'll be two types of blood in it. Yours, since you're the mother and also the blood of the fathers."

"The fathers?" I spluttered, "Who's that? Is it my father's blood?"

Mustang went silent as he messed around with the scraping. I watched him growing more and more impatient. After a few minutes he sighed and lent back in his chair. He slid his hand down his face again.

"No, it's not your father's blood," he said, "It's AB Negative."

"So who ever had AB Negative blood is the father?" I asked. Mustang nodded. "Then we need to find someone with that blood type. That'll take years."

"Nope," Mustang said turning round to face me. He had suddenly gone very pale. He smiled weakly. "It'll take two seconds. I'm AB Negative."

Mustang's last sentence dawned on me very suddenly about two minutes afterwards when suddenly it all caught up with me. I shook my head and put it in my hands. Mustang was the father of my baby? No, that couldn't be right. He was my commanding officer, the person I was supposed to protect. No this wasn't right. I glanced up at him. He was staring at the floor. He smiled suddenly to himself. He sat backwards on his chair.

"What's funny?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said. I watched him carefully. I was going to have his baby. I found I was smiling too. I sighed.

"Well it could be a lot worse," I said, "At least I'll know he'll sleep most of the day, his father does."

"Yeah," he agreed, "And he'll never get picked on at school cos he'll have that 'don't mess with me' attitude his mother has."

He turned to me. He reached out his hand. I took it. His fingers clasped round mine. He held my hand for a few minutes. Suddenly his features dropped.

"Oh, no," he said. He dropped my hand and put both of his hands over his face. I looked at him concern. He glanced at me with one eye. "Wait until Maes hears about this!"

I laughed at him. After a few seconds he joined in with me. He suddenly jumped to his feet and joined me on the bed.

"Hawkeye, I'm sorry," he said.

"What for?" I asked.

"If I hadn't of kissed you in the holidays, then this would have never happened. I must have activated the transmutation circle when I put my hand there. Since I was kissing you my DNA must have passed to you. The circle would've recognised it and set everything in motion," he explained. I smiled at him.

"It's not you're fault," I said, "You didn't know this would happen."

He sighed, "I suppose not."

"How are you going to explain this to Grand?" I asked suddenly. Mustang went rigid. He looked at me.

"Maybe I should call your grandfather to do it," he said, "He seems to be a lot braver than any of us."

"Yeah," I said. I got up very suddenly and walked towards the door. I stopped and turned round to him. His face was a mixture of expressions. Joy. Sadness. Guilt. I smiled at him. "Don't worry."

"I can't help it," he replied.

"Roy," I said. He looked straight at me. "You'll never leave me…I mean if I should need you…you would help me, right?"

His gaze shifted from me. He got to his feet and slowly came towards me. He put his arms round me and pulled me into a hug. His embrace was warm. He held me tightly as if he never wanted to let me go.

"I'll be here for you in a minute if you needed me for anything," he said. He stroked my back with one of his hands. "Are you scared?"

"Terrified," I admitted, "But it doesn't seem that bad knowing that I'm having your child. It comforts me a little. I don't know why, but it does."

His hold on me tightened for a second before he slowly began to let go of me. I looked into his onyx eyes. Those were the same eyes my baby would probably inherit. I smiled to myself. I felt Mustang's hand brush against my cheek. He went to talk but decided against it. Instead he smiled at me.

"It's getting late," he said, "You should go to bed and get some rest."

"Yeah," I agreed, "You should too. If you can find your bed under those books."

"I'll try," he muttered. He turned back into the room, stretching. "Maybe we could take Hayate for a walk tomorrow."

"Yeah," I said, "He needs a long walk." I looked at Mustang. "Good night, sir."

"Good night, Hawkeye," he replied turning to smile at me. I closed the door behind me and walked towards my own room.

I flumped onto my bed. Hayate jumped up next to me and looked at me. He wagged his tail but after a minute or two stopped. He could plainly see I wasn't in a good mood. I stroked him without looking at him.

"You know, Hayate," I said. The dog woofed. "I think I love Roy Mustang."

Hayate curled up next to me whining slightly. I continued to stroke him until I fell into an uneasy sleep.

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Hope you enjoyed. The next chapter may take a little while to be updated since I'm working on a few projects of my own, but I'll hopefully update when i have time :)


	12. Memories, Reality and Dreams

**Hey, I got bored of my other projects (I have a short attention span) and I've had nothing really to do so here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer - I don't own FMA.**

**Memories, Reality and Dreams**

"_Mr Mustang?" I asked as I opened the door of his room. His room was dark. I was expecting him to be at his desk working. It was almost midnight and I hadn't seen him at dinner so I had decided to take him some up. He was about thirteen years old._

_I pushed the door wider so that the light from the landing illuminated a path before me. Light shone on him at his desk. He was slumped over his work. I put the tray of food I had got him on the chest of drawers next to the door. I quickly walked to make sure he was alright. He was sleeping._

_Sighing I shook him gently. His eyes opened slowly. He turned his head so he could see who wanted him. _

"_Riza?" he asked. He sat up still looking at me. He yawned and stretched. "What's the matter? Is it morning yet?"_

"_No," I replied, "I brought you some food."_

_I walked back over the chest of drawers to retrieve the tray I had brought for him. I then walked back to him and put the tray on the desk, making sure not to disturb his books and work. He regarded the food I brought for a moment or two before a smile erupted onto his face._

"_Thanks, Miss Riza," he said, "You're a life saver."_

_He began to eat as fast as he could. I turned and left the room. He didn't call me back and I guessed he wouldn't miss me. I closed the door behind me. I turned right down the hallway so I could go to my own room. Once I was there I closed the door behind me and went to write in my diary. _

_At the time I remember having the hugest crush on him. I was totally infatuated with him. I guess things never really change. I sat at my desk until one in the morning before going to bed. I had written so much that night about him. I could barely contain myself. As I fell asleep I drifted off in to a happy dream._

The morning sun awoke me. Since I had fallen to sleep so strangely on the bed after seeing Mustang I had forgotten to get changed or draw the curtains. I sighed. Black Hayate was sat next to me. He wagged his tail before closing his eyes and dozing off again. I got to my feet so I could take a quick shower before I went down for breakfast.

I felt odd today. I guess the conversation with Mustang the night before was still sinking in. I slowly climbed down the stairs not taking much notice what I was doing. It was no mystery why I suddenly slipped off a step and went crashing to the floor. Luckily I fell on my bum a few steps down. Grimacing slightly I sat up straight. I sighed as I slowly got to my feet. My legs hurt from trying to stop myself from sliding all the way down to the bottom and my butt also hurt from the force of impact.

"Hawkeye?" I heard Mustang say behind. I heard him run down the stairs to my side. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," I muttered in reply, "I just slipped."

"You should be more careful," he said taking my arm and helping me down the few remaining stairs. At the bottom I turned to glare at him. I roughly shrugged his hand off my arm and walked away from him. I turned into the kitchen where I began to prepare some food for myself. I was well aware that Mustang had followed me into the room, although I tried my best to ignore him. He didn't seem to care.

We both made our separate breakfasts, occasionally asking each other to get something. Mustang finished his first but remained in the kitchen until I was done. When I was finished cooking, he led the way to the dinning room area and we sat down to eat.

"Is that all you have?" he asked looking at what I had made. I had to admit it wasn't much. I had a bowl with a small amount of muesli and milk in it with a quarter of grapefruit on the side. I ignored him as I started to eat. He was eating toast with a generous amount of jam* and butter on it. "Do you normally just eat that?"

"Normally, yes," I replied somewhat coldly. Mustang nodded.

"Is Fritz trying to starve you?" he asked concentrating more on his toast than me.

"He thinks that a diet like this will be beneficial to the baby," I replied.

"How are your cravings?" he asked. I looked up at him.

"I try to ignore them," I said. I suddenly slammed down my spoon on the table and got up on my feet. "What's it got to do with you anyway?"

"I was just wondering," he said, not even flinching at my sudden movement.

"How dare you," I muttered. Mustang looked at me.

"Hawkeye-"

"How dare you come here like this and immediately start judging how everything's run!" I yelled, "You've not bothered with even coming to check on me since you've arrived but as soon as you think it's your fault you suddenly show up, taking an interest in everything I do!"

Mustang winced slightly at the volume of my voice. He looked quite relieved probably because he knew I hadn't got my guns on me. I flopped back into my chair suddenly exhausted. I put my head in my hand and felt warm tears trickling down my cheeks. I heard Mustang's chair squeak. A few seconds later I felt I hand touch my shoulder. I brushed it off me. I heard him then leave the dinning room. I slumped forward and started hysterically crying with my head on the table.

After a few minutes the tears subsided but I didn't feel like moving. My arms were folded on the table and my chin was resting on them. The door of the dinning room opened, I was half expecting Mustang to be checking in on me but it was Carmichael. He looked flabbergasted at me.

"Hello, doctor," I said weakly. He rushed to my side.

"Are you alright?" he asked, "Mustang told me to wait a few minutes before I came in."

"I'm sorry," I said sitting up, "I have no idea what came over me."

"It's alright," Carmichael said, "Your moods will vary depending on…well pretty much anything. Don't worry. Both Fritz and I are used to this sort of thing. Mustang too seems to be very understanding of it. I suppose that's because he's an alchemist."

"He looked so relieved," I said, "Maybe it's a good thing that Fritz took my guns away from me. I would've shot him if I had them."

"I doubt you could do anything wrong in Mustang's eye," Carmichael went on, "How long have you worked with him?"

"Since Ishval," I replied, "But we've known each other for years."

"Ah," Carmichael said as he opened his doctor's bag and pulled out his stethoscope and put it gently on my wrist. "You seem stressed today. Your heart rate is slightly up but if you've been angry then this is normal."

"I'm sorry," I said again. Carmichael shook his head.

"Let's try to calm you down a little," he said, "When was the last time you were truly happy?"

"Truly happy?" I asked.

"Your happiest," he repeated. I sat back in the chair thinking to myself. When was I happy? I was happy when I first started working for Mustang all them years ago but that wasn't my happiest.

"I was happy when I was with my father," I said slowly, "Before he went obsessive over his studies."

"I didn't think you got on with your father," Carmichael said.

"I didn't but for a while after Mustang first moved in he seemed to be alright," I explained, "Mustang was like a new lease of life for my father even though it didn't last long, but that was when I was at my happiest."

"Please explain," Carmichael said. I smiled.

"Mustang came to live with us when he was about twelve," I said, "He was young and an idealist at the time. He was that way until Ishval. He used to fill my father's head with stories and for a while my father used to believe what he was saying. After a while my father stopped believing and that's when he started to throw himself into his studies. After that I was a little worse off but Mustang always tried his best to look after me. We'd spend ages in his time off talking to each other and just spending time together. That's when I was happy."

"You were happy with Mustang?" Carmichael asked as he put the stethoscope back on my arm. He paused for a few minutes. "You're fine."

"Thank you," I said. I thought for a minute longer. "Yeah, I guess I've always been sort of happy when Mustang was around. I knew he'd always be there for me if I needed him to."

Carmichael didn't say anything for a minute or two. He busied himself in his notebook jotting things down. He looked up at me, smiling slightly.

"Right, I guess I should ask you our usual questions then," he said.

***

After about half an hour I returned into the hallway wondering where Mustang was so that I could apologise. I was just about the turn upstairs when I noticed him stood in front of the front door in his uniform and coat. I blinked several times before making my way to his side.

"Are you going?" I asked. He jumped like he hadn't been expecting me.

"Sorry," he muttered, "I was just about to come and find you."

"No it's ok," I said feeling a little guilty. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I hope I haven't upset you."

"I've received an urgent call from Maes," he explained, "For some reason the Fuhrer has shown up at Eastern Headquarters with every soldier there. Havoc's going crazy, he says he can't handle the sudden pressure load."

"Why would the Fuhrer move so suddenly?" I asked. Mustang shrugged.

"Maes said something about a mass murderer but I don't know yet," he went on. He put his hand on my shoulder, his expression suddenly lightening. "If you need anything just phone me."

"Yes, sir," I said. He frowned.

"And stop calling me sir," he snapped, "You're not in the military anymore."

"Sorry," I said cringing at him.

"Good bye, Hawkeye," he said.

"Good bye, Roy," I returned. He smiled at me before walking out the door. I rubbed my arm gingerly. I was alone again but this time I felt it more. I sighed before turning to go upstairs and locking myself in my room.

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(A/N: Jam is the English term for Jelly. Sorry, I'm English born n bred so I will use English terms the majority of the time.)

**Please R&R and I'll update ASAP :)**


	13. A Crowded Solitude

**Hey, sorry for the long wait. Hopefully this will be up to standard, but I must admit I'm not a great Ed writer :(**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA...I don't own anything...**

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A Crowded

**Solitude**

I was walking round the garden rather than being kept in the house all day. I was in a good mood despite everything that had gone off it the week. The arrival of a new 'specialist' had been quite amusing since she shared the same fear of dogs as Breda did. She would start screaming if she saw Hayate. However sometimes she would be a little violent towards him, which would mean I would have to get involved or sometimes Fritz would. Fritz had started to come and join us more during the day. He was too happy for the new specialist, Mrs Turner, which often meant the two of them would enter into arguments about his jolliness and her grumpiness.

Turner was about twice Fritz's age which meant she was one of those who were keen on traditional values. She often gave me a dead glare when ever I moaned about my back hurting or if I had a bad mood swing.

"Find yourself a husband and then complain to him about it," she would snap. I would do my best to ignore her. However a good thing about her was making Fritz change my diet a little to include things like pickles and ice cream which I seemed to crave more than anything else. I also had a taste for melon which she collected for me from the nearby town. I would normally eat a half of melon at a time with a spoon. She didn't seem to mind because she would sometimes sit with me, telling me about her adventures in the South while she nicked some of my melon. Even though her stories were far from adventures she did have some funny ones to tell about the officers she'd met.

We bonded a lot over a few weeks. She would sit with me when I received a letter from Fuery and listen to me as I read it aloud. She would ask questions about the various people who were mentioned in but normally she would sit quietly, chuckling to herself as she imagined it.

The latest letter of Fuery's detailed about Full Metal's reaction to my pregnancy. He had been to Risenbol while the Colonel had been visiting me which meant that he'd not been told until now. This is what Fuery had to say about the whole thing:

_Full Metal returned with his brother today however he didn't seem best pleased as he stepped into the office. The first thing he'd noticed was the fact that Miss Abigail asked him if he'd made an appointment and told him that Alphonse was not permitted in the office since it was a top secret room. He refused to allow her to bully him and you know what Ed's like when something annoys him. Luckily the Colonel returned with Hughes before anything could happen. Miss Abigail disappeared for a while to sulk. Havoc says she goes down to the ladies toilets and cries when she doesn't get her way. _

_Ed asked what had happened to you. Naturally we had to tell him but no body, not even the Colonel or Hughes (who's been promoted to Lt. Colonel), dared say anything. Alphonse thought you were dead but when the Colonel laughed at them they both demanded to know what was going on. Between them, the Colonel and Hughes managed to tell Ed and Al everything. Ed didn't believe it. He muttered something about coming to see you to make sure the Colonel wasn't lying so I wouldn't be surprised if he suddenly showed up. _

_It looks like he' want to have to fight the Colonel for his assessment, but the Fuhrer probably won't allow it. Then again, the Fuhrer loves a good fight so you may never know. My bets are on the Colonel. _

"I don't agree with this," I said after reading the last paragraph. Turner looked at me with a smile on her face.

"I wish I could be there to see it," she replied. I grinned. Actually it would be quite funny to see who won. Mustang had the experience but Ed was a child prodigy. It wasn't easy to say who'd win that fight. "Do you miss him?"

"Miss who?" I asked genuinely not knowing what she was talking about.

"Mustang," she stated. I smiled weakly.

"I guess I do but I miss all of them really," I said honestly, "Perhaps Mustang the most."

"That's understandable," she said, "You've been with him for years."

There was a knock at the door. Turner told whoever it was to enter. Fritz walked into the room. He looked tired.

"We have guests," he stated, "They're in the hall."

Turner and I looked at each other. We both rose to our feet and followed Fritz to the hallway. I heard who it was before I saw them.

"Hey, Winry, cut it out," Ed snapped.

"Edward?" I called. I rushed to the hall and saw the three youngsters stood staring back at me. Alphonse was the first to move.

"Wow, Lieutenant," he said sheepishly, "You look… erm… nice."

"Thank you Alphonse," I replied, "What are you three doing here?"

"When brother heard that you were having a baby he thought we should come and visit you," Al replied. I knew he was lying. Ed was gawping at me like he'd never seen a pregnant woman before. The girl, Winry, was also quite still but I didn't blame her.

"Erm…You're huge," Ed said. Winry hit him over the head with a wrench making him fall to the floor.

"It's not nice to say that, Ed," she snapped, "My name is Winry. Do you remember me?"

"You're Ed and Al's childhood friend, right?" I asked. She nodded.

"Wow," she said coming closer to me, "You're looking really healthy. That's a sign that your baby's healthy too."

"Thank you," I said. I turned to Ed who was on the floor still. He was rubbing his head, glaring at Winry. "Did the Colonel send you?"

"Nope," he replied, "He doesn't know we're here."

"Who does?" I asked.

"No one," Ed replied. I sighed. The three of them looked at me.

"Did we do something wrong?" Al asked. It was Fritz who answered him. He stepped forwards.

"Yeah! If Grand comes for a visit he'll probably have me and Turner fired!" he yelled.

"We're not supposed to have visitors," Turner added, "Without clearance."

"Did you say Grand?" Ed asked.

"Yeah," roared Fritz. "He's sorta big and scary looking."

"He's also dead," Ed stated, "The Colonel said he'd been killed by an Ishvallen."

"Scar," Al muttered. I froze on the spot.

"An Ishvallen?" I asked. The brothers nodded, "And you left the Colonel alone with an Ishvallen in the city!"

I rushed from the room over to the phone. I dialled the Colonel's office.

"Hello? Lieutenant Colonel Hughes here," came the voice from the other end.

"Where's Roy?" I snapped.

"Hey, Roy," Maes said, "Sounds like a woman you've pissed off."

"Hello?" Mustang's voice said.

"Oh thank God," I said.

"Hawkeye?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said, "Ed and Al have just arrived. They said –"

"What! Those idiots, I told them not to bother you!" he roared.

"Yeah," I replied, "I need you to get clearance for them off of my Grandfather. They said Grand had been killed."

"Yeah," Mustang said, his voice turning bitter.

"By an Ishvallen," I added. I heard Mustang groan.

"That's true," he admitted, "But he seems to have left the area."

"That's good then," I said with relief.

"Do you need anything else? Should I send Hughes up to collect Full Metal?" he asked.

"No I should be alright," I replied.

"Can you put on Full Metal for me?" he asked. I called Ed over and passed the phone on to him. I decided to take a few steps backwards just in case Ed started to fling his arms around. To my surprise Ed was very calm. He was quite polite to the Colonel as he spoke into the receiver. After a few minutes he put the phone back on its perch. He took a deep breath and turned to.

"I'm very sorry for intruding," he said, bowing.

"I don't mind," I said, "I'm glad to have company. My grandfather should be able to take care of everything so we won't get into trouble. There is one thing that worries me."

"What's that?" Ed asked.

"If Grand is dead then who will replace him?" I said. Ed paused. "They say the better the devil you know than you don't know. What if I get someone worse than Grand watching over me?"

"Maybe you'll get someone better," Ed said, "I wouldn't worry about it."

"The Colonel told you not to tell me anything else that could stress me out, right?" I asked.

"Yeah," Ed said with a childish smile, "He sounded almost sincere."

"Well he doesn't want me to stress out," I said airily, "It would mean I loose his baby if I were to stress out."

Ed froze on the spot. "His baby?"

"He didn't tell you that did he?" I asked. I sighed as Ed rushed back to the phone and started roaring down it calling Mustang every name under the sun. I laughed and left him to it.

Al and Winry had retired to the living room where Turner was telling them about her time in the south. I walked into the room smiling at Turner, thanking her for taking care of my guests.

"Where's Ed?" Winry asked.

"Screaming down the phone to Mustang," I replied.

"Do you want me to make him stop?" she asked. I shook my head.

"No, I find it's best to leave them to it," I said, "They both enjoy yelling at each other."

"That's true," Al agreed.

"How were your missions?" I asked. Al froze.

"Well they went alright but the Colonel wasn't too impressed by my brother," Al said. He explained what they had been through over the last couple of months. We all listened intently.

"I don't know what Mustang is complaining about," I muttered at the end of Al story, "He would've done the same thing."

"I suppose," Al said.

The door creaked open and Ed stepped into the room looking quite angry.

"The moron put the phone down on me," he muttered. He sat down on a chair staring at me. "So, you're having a baby made through Alchemy?"

"Yes," I replied trying to force a smile onto my face, "My father's doing."

"It won't survive," Ed stated.

"Edward!" Winry yelled.

"Big brother," Al gasped, "You shouldn't say things like that."

"Alchemy can't create life," Ed stated, "It won't be human. It'll be a monster."

"If you don't mind," I said rising from my seat. I walked over to Ed and sat down beside him. I grasped his non-automail hand and placed it on my stomach. Ed paused.

"It's moving?" he asked. I nodded.

"Wow," Winry said jumping up and coming over to me. I felt her hand on my stomach too. "It really is moving. Al I wish you could feel this."

"It feels weird," Ed said taking his hand away, "No wonder Mustang's worried. If it lives it may take your life away in equivalent exchange."

"Doubtful," I said. Ed looked at me.

"You don't know anything about Alchemy," he said.

"No," I agreed, "But I know enough about my father to know he would've found a way round that. I carried all his secrets on my back. For all we know this is my reward for carrying a burden."

"Isn't this more like carrying a burden?" Ed asked.

"Carrying this baby isn't a burden, Ed," I snapped, "Talking to you is."

Ed froze on the spot not expecting me to say that.

"She has infrequent mood swings," Turner explained, "She rarely means what she says when she's in a mood."

"But I do mean what I say," I snapped, "You and Al know more than anyone about human transmutation yet you stroll around thinking you're the best at Alchemy. You're wrong. The sooner you understand that you don't know everything the better you will be."

"Riza," Turner said in a perfectly calm voice, "You surely don't mean that."

"She does," Winry said, "Because she knows Alchemists. That sounded rehearsed."

"I said a similar thing to Mustang when he was learning alchemy from my father," I admitted, "But it never hurt him to hear it. It's my lesson on Alchemy. People aren't meant to know everything so don't waste your life trying to learn it all."

Ed stood up. "Let's go, Al, Winry. Lieutenant Hawkeye needs to rest up."

"Big brother," Al said.

"I hope I'm wrong," Ed said, "If I'm wrong about this then I'll be the happiest guy on earth."

"Thank you, Ed," I said, "In the future get clearance before you come out here."

"We will," he said with a smile. He went to walk out the door but stopped, "If you need anything –"

"I've got too many people waiting on me, Ed," I snapped, "You and Al figure out your own problems. Take care of Winry."

"We will," Ed said.

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I'll update soon :) Please R&R!!!


	14. The Doctor's New Orders

**Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews :) Thought I'd update while I had the time, bust over the next few days. I get my A-Level results tomorrow :S Anyways, enough with the life story...Enjoy!!!**

**I don't own FMA**

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The Doctor's New Orders

Turner and I were sat in the living room one Sunday morning chatting about things we would need for the baby. She was also giving me some advice on what to name it. I already had an idea on what to call him however I wanted to see if Mustang had any better ideas on what to call him. Fritz was also sat in the living room listening in on our conversation even though he was reading. He couldn't focus on what he was reading. Mustang did the exact same thing as him when he couldn't concentrate. Fritz kept sighing and rubbing his eyes.

"What do you think?" I suddenly asked him.

"I'm a doctor, I have no advice on what to do to the thing after it's out of you," he muttered in reply. Turner laughed at him.

"Can't you concentrate?" I asked.

"Nope," he said shutting his book, "I'm a little on edge because our new boss is coming to visit us one of these days however the Fuhrer's secretary didn't give me an exact date when they would be popping in."

"Bummer," Turner said, "Well at least we're all prepared when ever they come."

"You have nothing to worry about," Fritz said glumly, "You're a psychologist who has expert knowledge on how to keep people unstressed. Look at Miss Riza, she's practically glowing all the time because she's in such a good mood. My work is much harder. I'm guessing most of the time and my results will only be shown when the damn kid is born."

"You're too harsh on yourself," Turner snapped, "Riza is only glowing because she's in good health. That's your achievement not mine."

"You're both doing excellent jobs," I said, "If it weren't for both of you I wouldn't be so happy or healthy. Neither would my baby."

"What are you going to call your baby then, Riza?" Turner asked suddenly. I laughed slightly.

"I'm not sure yet because I want to talk to Mustang first," I said. Fritz smiled.

"I doubt he would have very little to say," he said, "Mustang has no inkling to help you out with this kid so why ask him."

"Mustang will be bothered about the son of his closest friend and ally," Turner said in a matter of fact tone, "Even if he doesn't want to play father to it. Who knows, he might want to do that."

"He is the father you know," I said with a sigh. They both looked at me.

"He is?" they asked.

"But I thought this was a baby made from Alchemy?" Turner asked.

"The transmutation circle on my back was made up of mine and his blood so technically it is his DNA," I explained. Fritz rubbed his chin. "He's the biological father of this baby."

"I still doubt he'd want anything to do with it," Fritz said stubbornly, "He's a State Alchemist. He only wants one thing. More power."

"Now that's not nice," Turner snapped, "What do you want to call him, Riza?"

"Kitchener," I said sheepishly.

"Kitchener?" Turner asked. Fritz looked confused too.

"It was my father's name," I explained, "Since it's his…Alchemy that made this baby then I thought it was only fitting that he should have that name."

"Makes sense," Fritz said.

"Any middle names?" Turner asked.

"Kitchener Roy Hawkeye," I said finally feeling a little embarrassed, "Roy because Mustang has always been there for me no matter what."

"That's suitable," Fritz said, "Chances are this kid is going to be an Alchemist so might as well name him after two."

"It's a very nice name dear," Turner said.

I smiled but the moment was soon cut short. The door of the living room swung open with such force it fell off the hinges. Fritz and Turner stood up immediately. I reach for my holster only to realise I hadn't worn them in two months. I sighed. There was a man in the door way. He was a pale sick looking man. He was tall and wore the usual military uniform. His black hair was swept backwards. He was smiling at us. He gazed round the room, his eyes automatically settling on me. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze but I wouldn't let it show.

"Who the hell are you?" Fritz asked.

"Archer," the stranger said, "Colonel Frank Archer."

"Oh," Turner said, suddenly very flustered, "We're so very sorry sir. We didn't know who was taking over from General Grand or when you would show."

"It doesn't matter," he walked forwards so he was stood in front of me. His eyes were looking right into mine and then they travelled down my body to my stomach. I instantly put my hand over my stomach as some sort of protection even though he wasn't doing anything. "So, you're Riza Hawkeye?"

"I am," I said.

"Colonel Mustang's dog on a leash," he said. I growled at him. I stood up quickly but he pushed me back down into my seat with one hand. "I'm sorry to tell you, honey, but while I'm here you'll be doing exactly as I say."

"Doubtful," I said, "I'm not military anymore."

"Yes, well," he said drawing out his side arm and pointing it at my arm, "Have you ever taken a bullet?"

"No," I replied.

"Well, let's keep it that way," he said. The threat was evident in his tone. I glared at him as he turned to Turner and Fritz. He didn't put his side arm away. "That goes for both of you too."

"Yes, sir," both of them replied. Turner looked across at me to make sure I was alright. I was fine apart from wanting to shoot this guy myself. However he was the one with the gun. I slowly got to my feet again. Archer looked at me.

"I thought I told you to sit," he snapped.

"I need the toilet," I said as I walked past him. He grabbed my hand abruptly stopping me. He put his gun back in its holster.

"I really would like to tell you some more about the changes that will be happening around here," he said.

"You know that push you just did then, Archer?" I asked. He nodded. "Well it's made me feel sick so if you don't mind. The quicker I throw it up the quicker I'll be down here listening to you."

He let go of my hand and I walked calmly to the downstairs toilet. I bent over the basin. I didn't need this at this moment in time. I felt like a coward running away from the battlefield. I shuddered as I threw up the contents of my stomach. I was use to it by now. It didn't bother me too much. I wiped my mouth with my sleeve. I knew what I was dealing with. Archer was one of those officers who thought he could run the show by fear alone, but it took me a lot to fear someone. Ishval had taught me that. I washed up the mess I had made, then my hands and face before returning to the living room.

Turner and Fritz were sat on the sofa while Archer was stood in front of them. He was talking. I decided to knock on the door before entering. He glanced at me.

"Go to your room," he ordered, "I'll talk to you when I'm done here."

I turned and rushed upstairs knowing that those eyes were on me. I ran into my room closing the door behind me, panting slightly. I needed a phone to call Mustang. Damn it for being downstairs.

I glanced up to see Hayate pacing towards me, his tail wagging weakly side to side. I smiled at him. I walked to my bed and he jumped up beside me. I suppose all I had to do was wait. There was an unfinished letter on my bed side table to Fuery, I picked it up and decided I might as well pass the time well.

_Anyway, I was talking to Anne yesterday, a shop keeper in town. She says that her daughter, Rachel, seemed to prefer woollen blankets rather than those new synthetic ones. I heard the same thing from the lady who sells fruit, Chelsea I think her name is. She's got a baby around three months old now. I see her often since Turner walks with me into town. I think they call her Hannah but I'm not sure. _

_Carmichael says everything seems to be alright with the baby. He keeps yapping on about his new girlfriend, Eugene. He's worse than Havoc with girls I swear. He keeps saying 'Now Riza when you have to cut back on them snacks. They're not very good for the baby.' I'm sure I'll be fine. Fritz monitors my diet very carefully. _

_Come to think about it, I need some more melons. I'll walk down to the fruit shop. Hopefully I'll see Hannah again. She's so cute. I hope my baby will be that cute when he's born. I wish I was having a girl, though. I've got some interesting names if it was a girl: Eleanor, Lucinda or Peony. I would really like a little girl with one of those names. _

_Any way I hope all is well at the office. Make sure the Colonel keeps busy. _

_Riza_

I stopped and put my pen down, just as Archer walked into the room.

"You don't knock?" I asked, "Maybe it's a good thing I decided not to get changed."

"Like I was saying downstairs," he began but he suddenly looked down at the letter. He picked it up and quickly scanned over it. "How often did you talk to your old colleagues?"

"As often as I could," I replied.

"It won't happen again," he said, "This will be your last letter to them. It's best not to clutter up military post."

"I send it to Fuery at home," I said.

"Fritz will tell you of all the changes I have mentioned," Archer said, "I hope they will not cause you much…discomfort."

"I'm sure they won't," I replied. Then it hit me. "What about Turner?"

"What about her?" Archer asked.

"Why won't she tell me?" I asked.

"She's…Returning to Central with me," he said, "She's been living a life of luxury here. It's not good at all."

"That's too bad," I said feeling a pang of sadness in my heart. I was loosing a good friend.

"Another thing," Archer said, "Since you are unmarried when you have the baby it will be adopted by someone who can look after it."

My heart stopped for a split second. I gazed upwards at him.

"No," I said, "You can't take him away from me!"

"That's the law," Archer said, "Any parent seen as unfit to look after a child will simply have the child took off of them. You have no job, Miss Hawkeye, therefore you cannot look after your child."

"That's unreasonable!" I yelled.

"Mrs Tuner thought so too but she was easily persuaded to see things differently," he said, nudging his gun.

"You shot her?" I asked, "I didn't hear you."

"It's a new piece of technology," Archer said, "A gun that muffles the sound of a shot."

"You monster!" I screamed, "She was a kind old lady. She had a reason to not agree with you because she would know I would never let a monster like you take my son away from me!"

Archer pulled out his gun and shot it. It didn't make a noise but I felt the sudden burning pain in my right arm. I grimaced and slid off the bed onto the floor, failing to keep the tears falling down my cheeks. I would never let him take my son. Hayate started to bark at Archer.

"Let that be a warning, Miss Hawkeye," Archer spat. I glared up at him. He stepped back not expecting me to fight back.

"When Colonel Mustang hears about this then the only one who should be warned will be you!" I shouted, "He'll burn you into ashes before he lets you take my son away from me! Or if he can't do that then he'll simply send me a gun so I can do the dirty work myself."

"Defiant to the last," Archer said. He put his gun away. "Mustang can't help you now. He has his own problems."

He left the room. I sat on the floor crying at first until a sudden rage made me scream and hit the floor. I hated that man. I would see him burn one way or another…

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**Hopefully I'll update in a few days time :) seeya. RS x**


	15. Friends and Enemies

**Hey sorry about the wait to say I've had a lot of free time to update...Anyways, I hope that this makes up for it. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed :) And thanks for bearing with me :)**

**I don't own FMA**

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Friends and Enemies

Fritz announced to me I was entering my second trimester a few days after Archer left us. We hadn't spoken much since Archer had arrived the week previous. After he had murdered poor Mrs Turner we decided to avoid him at all costs. He'd allowed me to post my letter which was a relief because it would hopefully shine some warning signs onto the guys in the office. I wasn't expecting a rescue but probably a complaint from my grandfather if Mustang passed on the message. I was expecting a phone call from Mustang any day now but I did expect him to phone after he knew Archer was back in Central. Hughes would probably give him the heads up.

I was amazed at how much actually changed within a week. Archer was more of a megalomaniac that Grand was and that was saying something. I was told I had to walk round the grounds of the house three times a day and eat a more strict diet. I hated it. Even Fritz who thought his health regime was soft on me, thought that I would probably die within the first week of this new regime. Apart from eating very little meat, dairy and sweets I was also limited in the amount of carbohydrates I could eat and fish. My usual exercise was a light bit of walking with Hayate and some aerobic exercises but now I had a whole host of new things to do. I hated Archer so much I was tempted to smother him in his sleep.

He was gone, for now. Fritz was even more scared of Archer than he was of Grand, not that I could blame him. Archer had murdered Mrs Turner and put a bullet through my arm. Fritz was amazed that he'd done such a thing. The shock of being shot could've killed me but luckily my ordeal in Ishval and in the military later helped me some how although I wasn't really sure how it helped.

A few more days passed by and I started to feel the effect of my new diet. My body was starting to weaken. Most days I could hardly handle my exercises but the lack of energy was making it worse. Fritz was starting to worry about me and decided to stop my exercises so I could recuperate.

Unfortunately, Archer returned the next day and was enraged that I hadn't done a full week of my exercises. Fritz tried to tell him the reason why he'd made me stop, however Archer didn't seem to listen. He rounded on me the following night after I had gone to bed.

I should've known there would be trouble when he burst through the door in the way that he did. He looked at me with pure venom.

"Can I help you?" I asked curtly, thankful he had stormed in before I had decided to change my clothes.

"I hear that you have been disobeying my orders, Miss Hawkeye," he growled.

"I was only doing as the doctor said," I replied. He grabbed my arm, the one he hadn't shot, and swung me around and into him.

"From now on you will do as I say," he yelled. I flinched since I was in such close proximity to him. "Is that understood?"

"Yes," I replied fighting my way free of his grasp and walking carefully backwards away from him. I stared at him. He was looking like a man possessed. I looked away from him. "All you men are the same. You think you have some power but in reality you don't."

He froze on the spot. He completely changed from an angry, mad man into a normal man. I smiled at him.

"You must understand, Archer," I continued, "I can see right through you. I've been places you haven't seen in your nightmares so don't try to be the tough guy. One day you'll misplace your gun and I'll happen to pick it up. I won't hesitate about blowing your brains out, I've killed before and at the moment I'm far too valuable to the Fuhrer to be locked away and punished. So bear that in mind the next time you come raging in here."

"One day," he muttered, "One day I'll see that you'll obey my orders."

"I look forward to seeing you attempt it," I replied coolly.

"Did you ever give Mustang such a hard time when he was ordering you around or are you the kind that would gladly roll on their back for their commanding officer?" he asked. I grinned.

"You should ask him yourself," I replied. Archer looked confounded until he turned round. Mustang had appeared in the door a few seconds ago. He was looking from me to Archer with a look of mixed curiosity and anger on his face.

"Care to explain?" he asked in his usual uninterested tone. Archer glared at him. He brushed past Mustang as he rushed from the room. The Colonel watched him go then returned his gaze on me. "Are you alright?"

I didn't answer. I rushed towards him, flinging my arms around him. He was startled at my reaction because I felt him tense and then relax as he slid his arms round me. I found myself smiling as he held me gently in his arms.

"I got your message," Mustang said suddenly. Even though he was speaking he made no move to break his hold on me. "I didn't know what it meant until Archer showed up in headquarters."

"I couldn't put anymore detail in it," I said, "I'm sorry it was so vague."

"It doesn't matter," Mustang said letting go of me, "Fuery looked like he was going to have a heart attack when he got to the end of the letter. Mostly because I started shouting at him to re-read it."

"I'm sorry," I said again. Mustang was staring down at me. I looked into his eyes expecting to see his usual warmth emanating from them but when I looked directly at him I saw something else. His gaze was cold and full of worry and sadness. "What's the matter?"

Mustang looked at me oddly. I grabbed his arm.

"What's wrong?" I asked again. Mustang grinned.

"Nothing," he replied calmly, "I was just worried about you."

I returned his grin but I wasn't convinced that he was telling the truth. He knew that but didn't say anything else. He moved to stroke my cheek.

"We'll talk in the morning," he stated. He walked backwards out of my room and closed the door for me. I stood scared by his actions. Suddenly I felt strangely alone…

***

The rain poured the next day. I couldn't do my usual exercise which wasn't that bad. Besides, Archer seemed to lock himself up in his room for most of the day, probably due to Mustang's sudden appearance. Mustang spent much of the morning with me, telling me more about the guys escapades with Miss Abigail. They'd taken to playing jokes on her which was probably not the best thing to do since she had quit and they had now landed a burly new sergeant call Gus. Gus wasn't one for jokes. Apparently he was a body builder. I laughed as Mustang told me tales of Havoc and Breda running for their lives through Central head quarters.

I must admit I was quite shocked to find that Mustang had been transferred to Central with the guys. It made me wonder why but I didn't ask. Ed wasn't happy that Mustang was now stationed in Central because it meant that he had to behave himself more. Before hand Ed was one of the senior officers in the East but now he was one of those lower ranks with very little power.

There was still something unsettling about the Colonel. He seemed overly happy rather than genuinely happy, like he was trying to hide something from me. None the less I was very happy to have his company.

"So what prompted you to ask for my help?" he asked suddenly.

"Hmm?" I said.

"Anne. Rachel. Chelsea. Hannah. Eugene. Riza. Hannah. Eleanor. Lucinda. Peony. Archer. Help. I must admit I was impressed," Mustang mused. I looked at him for a moment before rolling up my sleeve. He eyed my arm cautiously. He was silent while I took off my bandage. "What's that?"

"A bullet wound," I replied, "From Archer."

Mustang stood up abruptly, glaring at the door. "An accident?"

"No," I said bitterly, "He did it on purpose."

Mustang was torn between leaving me to go yell at Archer and checking my wound. He decided to walk over me and sit down. He stroked my arm gently. He didn't cringe as he looked deeper into it. I found myself starring into his onyx eyes even though he wasn't looking at me. His expression was grim.

"He killed my psychologist too," I said sadly. I half expected a smirk to appear on his face but it didn't. He tensed. He got to his feet again. He was looking at me with a mixed expression of pity and worry.

"I'm going to have a word with Archer," he stated. He raised a hand as I opened my mouth to protest. I shut my mouth automatically. "Don't worry."

"I'm sorry," I said, "But you're not exactly the best speaker in the world."

"Well," he said rubbing his head, "I guess I have to start practising."

As Mustang left me I began bandaging my arm back up. A few seconds later Fritz walked through the door reading a book. Fritz had the uncanny ability to walk and read at the same time without crashing into anything. He stopped, opening his mouth oddly like he was going to speak. He noticed only I was sat in the room. He looked round.

"Where's Colonel Mustang?" he asked.

"He's gone to have a word with Archer," I replied, "I must warm you, if you have any valuables you may want to save, go and get them now. When Roy Mustang goes to talk to someone diplomatically the fire alarm rings not soon after."

Fritz smiled weakly before rushing off upstairs. I didn't expect him to rush off like that but he probably ran off to stop Mustang doing something stupid. I sat staring into space for a few minutes before figuring I should do something useful.

I emerged from my room around half five that evening after doing most of my exercises. I wasn't really paying attention to what was happening around me but I soon found myself standing in the kitchen. I poured myself a glass of water before going into the living room. Archer was sat on a sofa reading over a folder. It looked like a report folder. He glanced up at me, his eyes narrowing as soon as he realised who it was.

"Good evening," I greeted.

"You didn't do your walking today," he stated. I glanced outside to see water running down the window.

"It's been wet all day," I replied, "I didn't want to catch a cold."

"You wouldn't catch a cold if you wore the appropriate clothing," Archer said coldly. He turned his head glancing back at the report he had with him. I fought the temptation to stick my tongue out at him. "If you slack off anymore then I'll have to start taking actions against you."

"And what would that mean?" asked Mustang from over my shoulder. He was holding a few biscuits in his hand. He glared at Archer but Archer only glared back.

"A cut in food," Archer finally replied.

"Wow," Mustang said, "Starve the woman to death. What do you eat in a day? Two carrot sticks? I think you're already doing that. Look how thin she is."

I looked down. My stomach was getting larger by the day, but I felt happy at the compliment.

"Here," Mustang said loftily handing me a biscuit. I took it nervously not knowing what Archer's reaction would be. Archer only stared at me like he was daring me to eat it. I sat down in a chair and nibbled the edge of it. Mustang sat down near to me. He was watching me carefully.

"This is awkward," I said quietly. I looked from Archer to Mustang. They were both staring at me. Mustang had a biscuit in his mouth. With his free hand he was rummaging in his pocket trying to find something. Archer was just staring at me. Mustang found what he was looking for. It was an envelope. He passed it to me. I looked at it. Mustang took the biscuit from his mouth before explaining.

"From the guys," he said. I nodded.

"She's not supposed to have correspondence," Archer said. Mustang shrugged.

"You have a tendency to shoot her friends," he remarked. I couldn't help smirk as Archer got up and left the room in a huff. I opened the envelope carefully. I was surprised to see six pieces of paper. At once I recognised all the guys' hand writing. It seemed like all of them had decided to write to me. There was one with a picture on, drawn by Alisha, and another with writing that I didn't recognise. I turned to the first on the pile.

_Dear Hawkeye,_

_I hope you're well. Can you please try and cheer the chief up. There's been a couple of rough weeks here and the Colonel has taken to flaming everything in his path. Also, he seems to have developed a taste for biscuits. _

I glanced up to see Mustang holding up a biscuit, checking its shape. I smiled.

_On the brighter side. I've got a new girlfriend! She's awfully pretty and the Chief doesn't seem to have any interest in her at all. I think we have a winner!_

_Please take care._

_Havoc_

I looked at the Colonel again. He was still holding up the biscuit however it now had a chunk missing from it.

"Havoc has a new girlfriend?" I asked. Mustang looked at me.

"Yeah," he said.

"Normally you're after his girls like flies to honey," I said, "are you sure you're OK?"

"Well there might be someone who I might be seeing," Mustang snapped angrily. I gave him a look but he only took another bite from his biscuit. I turned to the second letter.

_Dear Hawkeye,_

_I hope you and Black Hayate are doing well. It must be great being in the countryside at this time of year, it gets too stuffy in the city when it's hot. Things are still hectic down here since the arrival of the new assistant, Gus. He's quite scary but not as scary as you used to be. Havoc and Breda still don't understand the idea of not annoying him. They spend most of their afternoons out of the office running away from him. I'm sure the Colonel will tell you all about it when he visits you…_

I looked up at the Colonel again to check he wasn't still admiring his biscuits. However when I looked at him he was staring at me. I blinked a few times but he didn't look away.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked. He shook his head. I looked down at the letter and tried to read on. I looked up a few seconds later. He was still looking at me.

"Sir," I snapped. He smirked.

"I told you before," he said, "Stop calling me 'sir' all the time."

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know," he said. His eyes didn't move. I shuffled under his gaze.

"Can you stop it?" I asked. He smiled.

"I don't know," he replied. He sighed and got out of his seat. He walked around the room a few times before settling back down next to me.

"Hawkeye?" he said.

"Yes," I said. He was rubbing his eyes. He remained silent for a few minutes.

"No," he said, "It doesn't matter."

"What's wrong?" I asked. He turned to look at me again.

"Nothing," he said, "I'm just…worried about Archer, that's all."

"I'm fine," I said, "Now will you stop staring at me?"

"Sorry," he said, "I can't help it."

"Deal with it," I remarked. I looked down at my letters again but I was stopped again, this time by the Colonel's hand. He lifted my chin up so I was looking at him.

"You're beautiful," he said. I blinked a few times again.

"What were in those biscuits?" I asked. He chuckled.

"Sorry, that was a bit sudden," he said, "But you are."

"Thank you," I said feeling my colour rising slightly. His hand moved to the side and he gently stroked my cheek. He was looking at me in a way he'd never done before. I definitely knew something was wrong now.

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Hehe, sorry leaving it there. A lot more fluff to come :) Cya RSx


	16. The Reason Why

**Hi. A big thank you to everyone who's reviewed :) I've suddenly got my writing pace back on so I should be able to update more regularly. Anyways onto the fluff!**

**I don't own FMA :(**

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The Reason Why

I felt his hand turn over and reach behind my head. He was gently pulling me into him. I allowed him to. I slid forwards so I was closer to him.

"Roy," I muttered, "What are you doing?"

"I am trying to kiss you," he said with a smirk, "But you're not making it easy by talking."

"I'm sorry," I said. I felt his lips press against mine. He was warm like always. I didn't move. I was glued to the chair like a scared child. Mustang must have realised this because he didn't try to pull me closer into his body. He pulled away slowly. He groaned as he sat back in his seat. I felt a sudden blast of anger.

"What was the moan for?" I asked. Mustang smiled.

"I'm an idiot," he said, "I am a really big idiot."

"Why's that?" I asked. He only laughed.

"No reason really," he said, "Apart from making advances on my second in command."

"I'm not your second in command anymore," I said quietly looking down at the floor. I guess that was what was to him.

"I know," he said, "But-"

"You're seeing someone else," I said thinking back to what he said earlier, my gut tightening as I said it.

"No," he said, "Riza-"

I looked up at the use of my name. He was smiling at me in a weird way. He leaned forward to grab my hands.

"It's not that, it's just…it's just the reason why I'm here," he said.

"I don't quite understand," I said. Mustang sighed.

"Something bad happened," he said, "And I was sent for some R&R. And this is just bad timing."

"What's this?" I asked.

"How I feel," he replied honestly, "What I'm doing. I just…I can't…I think…"

He sat back in his chair.

"I can't get the words out!" he shouted angrily. He looked at me through his hands. "Riza?"

"Yes?"

"I'm falling in love with you," he said. I giggled nervously. I slapped my hand over my mouth to stop myself. I calmed myself down in a few seconds. Mustang was watching me in an amused sort of way.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't meant to giggle like that."

"It's alright," he said.

"Since when?" I asked.

"Since…I'm not sure," he said, adding quickly, "But way before I knew what was happening to you."

"Really?" I asked. He nodded. I was smiling at him.

"But," he said, "It's at the wrong time."

"What happened that's so bad," I asked. I shuffled forwards in my seat. "Please, tell me."

"I can't,"

"Please, Roy," I begged. I placed my hand on his. "I might be able to help. I know I can't do much and I'm pretty useless to you in my current state, but I can listen."

Mustang smiled weakly at me for a few seconds before speaking.

"I really don't want to worry you," he said slowly as if he was trying to talk himself out of an explanation, "Something bad happened a few weeks ago."

"Go on," I said hoping to prompt him. His grip on my hand tightened. He sighed deeply before continuing.

"We were tracking Fullmetal," he began, "Scar was in the area and we weren't keen on having another State Alchemist on the death toll. Hughes and Armstrong took the south while Havoc and I took the east. Sooner or later we came across each other and Ed too."

He sat back in his chair taking his hand completely off mine. He put his hands over his eyes.

"Sorry," he muttered. I got up and sat myself on his knee. He lifted his hands off his face. He wrapped them round me. "We managed to corner Scar in this abandoned warehouse. Fullmetal and his brother were there too. They were fighting him. The moment I entered the damn idiot came for me instead. If it weren't for Armstrong I would probably be dead."

"What happened?" I asked, not really knowing where this was going.

"As we were fighting something came out the shadows," he went on, "Some weird people wearing black. They had these tattoos, the ouroboros tattoo."

I nodded slightly like I understood what he meant.

"Well they started coming at us," he explained, "They just kept coming and coming. No matter what we did or how many times we killed them, they just got back up and began fighting again. After a while they gave up, I don't know why but then we realised…"

He paused. He pulled me closer into him.

"I didn't notice that Havoc had been hurt," he said quietly, "He was lying on the floor bleeding his guts out. He was alive."

I combed my fingers through his hair. I felt him shudder but that wasn't because of me. It was because he was crying.

"Hughes…" he said, "Nobody noticed him either…"

I put my arms round him, pulling him tightly. I put my cheek on his head. I stroked his back until his tears subsided. He made no effort to move, neither did I. He lifted his head slightly so he could see me.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. I shook my head.

"It's ok," I said, "It's bad for you to carry such a burden. I'm glad I can help you."

He smiled, "Sometimes I think I'm beyond help, Riza. Sometimes I think that I'm no good; that I should give up. When I knew about…the baby…I couldn't help but think what he'd think of me…I'm a murderer…why should I have anything at all?"

"Roy Mustang," I said sharply, pushing him away from me, "You're the single most arrogant man I've ever met. You're a womaniser, a scheming bureaucrat, a failure and you're useless in the rain."

His face dropped as I mentioned the rain, but it only made me smile.

"And yet, you're the most loyal person I know. You're smart, handsome and by all means a hero. That's why I love you and why your son will too."

He looked at me awkwardly. He smiled.

"Riza," he said softly, "I'm not good enough for you."

"Well," I said thoughtfully, "That is true but seeing as I'm carrying your child I guess I have no choice."

"Thank you," he said. He stroked me cheek. He lent forwards again and kissed me. This time I was more prepared. I gladly shifted my arms round his neck as he pulled me closer. I allowed his hands to trail down my back. They parted near the bottom so he didn't catch the transmutation circle again and settled on my hips. We pulled away from each other. I placed my head on his chest while he stroked my hair gently. He sighed once more.

"What am I going to do?" he asked.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"About this," he said. We sat in silence for a few moments. We both knew what the other was thinking. How would we see each other? Would the military intervene if they knew? What about the baby? So many questions, so few answers.

"We've got now," I said slowly. Mustang paused stroking my hair.

"I suppose," he said, "But what of I don't want now? What if I want forever?"

"Now is all we've got," I said, "Let's work on forever later."

I felt him smile.

"Sounds good to me," he said.

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Hehe :) Please R&R!!! In the next chapter needles and coughing. Weird combination...

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	17. Medical Attention

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed :) Hope you enjoy this!**

**I don't own FMA :(**

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Medical Attention

He was up early the following morning. By the time I was up, Mustang was sat in his room. He'd spent the night with me. I knew he had a hard time falling asleep due to Ishval but now he seemed twice as bad. Every time I shuffled next to him he would stir and then lay awake for half an hour before drifting off again. When we'd finally settled and fallen asleep it was close to two in the morning. I had woken up in an empty bed with a nice warm spot where he'd been laid the night before.

I sat up slowly in bed half glad that he wasn't there to witness my usual morning ritual of rushing to the toilet to be sick. Damn I hated morning sickness but I was half thankful that it only was in the morning now. Hayate was still curled up in bed, asleep. He'd learnt to stay in his bed until I got up otherwise he did get trodden on. I flushed the toilet and wiped my mouth. I looked at my hand, it was shaking. I was hungry since I had not eaten the evening before. I leaned on the sink wondering if I could eat both my tea and breakfast this morning since I had missed it, but then again if Archer caught me he would probably ask me why I missed tea the night before. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.

I splashed some cold water onto my face to try and wake myself up. I heard a soft bark from my bedroom. I looked up in the mirror to see Mustang stood behind me. He passed me a towel so I could dry my face.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Fine," I replied, "It's my usual morning ritual."

"Nice," he said. He glanced round the bathroom not bothering to ask for anymore details. I was wiping my teeth with my tongue. It tasted bad but I had grown used to it by now. I reached for my toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Go and sit down," I said, "You don't have to watch me."

Mustang slowly turned and left me while a scrubbed at my teeth. I was far too rough with the toothbrush but I couldn't stand the horrid taste in my mouth. I spat into the bowl and then rinsed it with water from the tap. After a few minutes I turned the tap off and dried my hands on a towel before making my way back into my room.

Mustang was laid on my bed with his hands behind his head. He was staring up at the ceiling.

"You know," he said slowly. I wasn't at all surprised he'd noticed I was there.

"What?" I asked. Mustang looked at me with a grin.

"I should've bet more money," he replied like he thought I knew what it was he was talking about. I didn't have a clue. He judged my confused look and laughed. "Havoc's new girlfriend."

"Oh, right," I said walking to my bed side cabinet and opening the top draw, "What about her?"

"If she's left him yet," Mustang replied with another cocky grin. I sighed loudly. I was looking for something in my drawer by this time. I was looking for a kit that Fritz had given me. It was a new test to show blood sugar levels in the body. Fritz wanted to regulate my body's sugar levels just in case anything was wrong. Of course I would take the sample and give it to him later for analysis. I pulled out the kit. There was a needle, a slide of glass and few vials with a stopper at the top. I got them all out and studied them for a brief moment.

"What's that?" Mustang asked sitting up, cautious of the needle. I didn't reply. I pricked the end of my finger. While a small droplet of blood formed I unplugged a vial and stuck my finger in the end of it. The vial was small but thick enough to put my finger in. After a few minutes there was a small collection of blood in the bottom of the vial. Satisfied with the amount I stuck the plug back in the top of the vial and put my finger in my mouth to stop the bleeding. I glanced up at Mustang who had gone a ghostly white colour. I smirked at him remembering that he hated needles.

"You look pale," I stated. Mustang shuddered for a split second. He rubbed his face with his hand trying to recover himself from what he just saw.

"You could've warned me," he snapped finally. I smirked again.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I forgot you're squeamish."

He glared at me. I laughed at him so hard my ribs began hurting within a few seconds. I was laughing so much a fell onto the floor. I wiped my eye to stop a tear running down my cheek. I looked back up at Mustang who was now sat with his legs hanging off the bed. He was looking at me with a smile on his face.

"I like it when you laugh," he stated. He stood up and offered me a hand. "Come on, giggles, let's get some breakfast."

He lifted me up with such ease. I could hardly believe he was actually that strong. Once I was safely up on my feet he led me down stairs to the kitchen where Fritz was making his first strong coffee of the day. Fritz regarded Mustang and me weirdly as we burst through the door.

"Well," Fritz said, "Some one's happy this morning."

"Sorry," I said without thinking. Fritz gave me another weird look as I walked over to a cupboard and pulled out some muesli.

"She's had fun freaking me out while she took a blood test," Mustang moaned, "Without warning me first. She knows how much I hate needles."

"Why do you hate needles?" Fritz asked. Mustang thought for a second. He was mulling over past events inside his head. He clicked his fingers when he suddenly remembered something.

"My father," he replied. I paused as a poured myself half a bowl of muesli. I glanced at him.

"Your father?" I asked. Mustang nodded in reply. "You rarely talk about him."

"Well there's not really much to say about him," Mustang replied honestly, "He died when I was small."

"Oh," Fritz said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Mustang said darkly, "Stupid drunk."

Fritz glanced at me hoping for me to shed more light onto the situation, but I was just as stumped as he was.

"What's he got to do with needles?" Fritz asked.

"Oh," Mustang said, "He used to be a doctor so he was always stabbing people with them. I guess they started to freak me out after a while."

"Miss Riza doesn't seem to mind them," Frtiz went on thinking, "Most of my patients have issues with them."

"Well, Riza's a freak of nature anyway," Mustang went on. I nodded like I agreed with him. It was true that I didn't mind needles but then again I'd never really thought about it. I walked over to the fridge, getting the milk to pour over my muesli. Both the guys were talking about things that I had no interest in. After splashing a little milk over my muesli I returned the bottle back to its shelf in the fridge. I picked up my bowl and a spoon and began to eat while watching Fritz argue with Mustang over Military regulations. It didn't seem to bother me that the two were fighting because at least they were talking to each other.

"Well, well," came the soft voice of Archer as he entered the room. The door shut behind him with a thud. "Aren't we noisy today?"

"I'll be in my office," Fritz replied after a few seconds of awkward silence. He quickly exited the room mumbling under his breath about some medical tests. Mustang walked over to a cupboard and pulled out a pack of biscuits. He helped himself to a couple. While he was munching mindlessly Archer poured himself a cup of coffee.

"I expect you to do all your exercises today," he said to me. I nodded.

"As soon as I finish breakfast," I replied curtly.

"Have you done your morning tests?" Archer asked.

"Tests? You have more than one?" Mustang interrupted.

"I've only done my blood test," I replied to Archer before turning to Mustang, "I have a few but they don't have any more needles."

"That's good," Mustang said. He rummaged in the biscuit packet and pulled out few more. "Biscuit?"

"She's not supposed to eat that much sugar," Archer snapped, "And by the looks of you, Mustang, I would slow down on the biscuits too."

Hastily Archer left the room. Mustang childishly stuck his tongue out at Archer when he was gone. I giggled at Mustang.

"What is with the biscuits anyway?" I asked.

"I don't know," Mustang replied, "They're just tasty."

"Tasty?" I asked. Mustang nodded. "Sir, you really need to get out more."

Mustang laughed heartily at me. He walked over to me and planted a kiss on my cheek. He then took my hand and led me out of the kitchen into the dinning room.

"So what are your exercises?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Nothing like that," I replied, "Some walking, cardio and muscle toning."

"Nice," Mustang said airily, "And I thought the Academy was tough for fitness."

"It's not really that bad," I said, "It gives me something to do."

"Well if you need things to do-" Mustang said.

"No," I said. Mustang blinked a few times.

"I was only going to say-"

"No,"

"Town?" he said.

"Pardon?" I asked.

"I was going to say we could go into town," he said innocently, "Why what did you think I was going to say?"

"Nothing," I said coldly. Mustang was grinning. I glared at him. "You know full well what I thought! PERVERT!"

***

Mustang and I walked into town a few hours later. Even though I had to ask Archer's permission before hand, I felt a lot freer than I did in the house. Mustang was going to be a bad influence on me, both Archer and Fritz saw that. Mustang didn't seem to care about the medical side of my condition. Like he had said to Archer: "Plenty of women have babies every day, its just Hawkeye's a little weirder than normal mothers". Archer hadn't liked it but he daren't question Mustang's authority.

I hadn't walked into town since Turner was alive. I felt a sudden chill up my spine. That was only a few weeks ago. Had it been only that amount of time since Archer had murdered her?

"What's wrong?" Mustang asked as I slowly tensed.

"Nothing," I replied rubbing my arms. Mustang was walking with his hands in his pockets like he used to do all the time. He wasn't wearing his uniform for a change but that was probably for the best. Instead he was wearing black trousers, a white shirt and a black jacket. He shuffled as he took his hand out of his pocket and put his arm round my shoulders.

"Something bothering you?" he asked. I shook my head and then put it on his shoulder.

"I was thinking about Turner," I admitted as his arm tightened round me.

"Turner?" he asked, "Your psychologist?"

"Yeah," I replied. Rubbed my arm where Archer had shot me.

"Remind me when I'm Fuhrer to have him shot," Mustang said suddenly. I smiled.

"He doesn't deserve it," I said, "Maybe if you lock him up in a place where he'd have to look after people without guns."

"You are cruel," Mustang said.

"I don't see the point in meaningless killing anymore," I said.

"That is true," Mustang agreed.

"Miss Riza!" I heard a voice calling me. I stopped and looked across the street at Anne the baker's wife. I waved at her. Grabbing Mustang's hand I rushed across to her.

"Good morning, Anne," I greeted, "How's little Rachel today?"

"She's got a cough," Anne said sadly, "She's had it for a few days but she seems to be getting better now."

"Oh that's a relief," I said. Anne looked at Mustang with a smile.

"And who's this?" she asked. Mustang held out a hand for her to shake.

"Roy Mustang," he greeted.

"Anne Carter," Anne said, "So you're the infamous Roy Mustang?"

"Infamous?" Mustang asked.

"Well," Anne said with a smile, "Riza would go on about you and Mrs Turner to. Where is she today?"

"She had to go back home," Mustang explained quickly, "Her grand daughter was sick and she had to go and help look after her. That's why I'm looking after Riza at the moment."

"That's so sad," Anne said. Inside the bakery I heard Rachel start crying. Anne turned back into the shop and look sadly over at her daughter behind the counter. "Please, one moment."

She rushed into the shop and picked up her little daughter. Rachel looked feverish. Between sobs she wheezed and then dissolved into coughing. Mustang took a few steps forwards towards the shop. I followed him wondering what was wrong.

"Ms Carter," he said, "Can I hold her for a minute?"

"Sure," Ms Carter replied handing the baby to Mustang. Mustang held the baby oddly for a few minutes before rocking it.

"What's the matter?" I asked. Mustang glanced at me.

"This baby's got whooping cough," he stated. He turned to Anne. "Is there a local doctor?"

"Yes," Anne said bitterly. She took her baby back from Mustang and began cradling her.

"You should call him," Mustang advised, "She could do with some medicine."

"We can't afford it," Anne said, "He's a rip off and not even a good doctor. Most of the time he doesn't prescribe drugs."

"Can I use your phone?" Mustang asked politely. Anne nodded pointing at the phone on the wall. Mustang strode over to it and picked up the receiver. Anne turned back to me.

"Wow, Riza," she said with a huge grin on her face, "He's a keeper."

"Anne," I moaned.

"No I mean it," she went on, "did you see how he held the baby. It took Mike three months to learn how to hold Rachel right ad he walks in here and holds her perfectly. Does he have kids of his own? He looks old enough to be a widower."

"His foster mother used to take in a few kids because she had a good business," I explained, "Mustang just learnt from her I suppose."

"He's not married then?" Anne asked, "Or never been?"

"Him staying with a woman more than a week is a miracle, Anne," I replied mush to her amusement.

"So how long are you going to last?" she asked.

"Until he goes back home," I replied, "With all probability."

"And you know that and you're still going along with him?" Anne asked her tone changing from happy to criticising.

"It is Roy Mustang," I replied with a grin. She laughed again. Mustang put the phone back on its perch.

"Fritz has agreed to come down," he said.

"Won't he get in trouble?" I asked.

"Possibly but I ordered him to," Mustang replied putting his hands back into his pockets.

"If Archer finds out-"

"If Archer finds out it'll give me another reason to flame him," Mustang said with his usual cocky grin.

"So how's little Riza?" Anne asked. She pointed to my stomach. I smiled. Anne came towards me and rubbed my stomach tenderly making Mustang smile. I glanced at him and for a moment it seemed like everything was right between us, like we were going to be one big happy family.

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Next chapter will be up soon :) Please R&R, I can't believe I've almost got 100 reviews :D


	18. Disappearing Act

**Hi everyone. Thanks to everyone's who's reviewed, I got a 100!!!! Woo! :) Just to let you know I'm starting Uni next week so I won't be able to update after Monday (it's freshers week, I'll have a hangover). I'll try to update on Sunday if people want me to. **

**Anyways please enjoy and I hope you like this chapter :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA**

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**Disappearing Act**

"Rachel should be fine," Fritz told us for the fiftieth time as we walked back into the house. Mustang was glancing at me weirdly since I had asked Fritz every five minutes if the baby was going to be alright.

"If this is what you're like with the baker's baby what are you going to be like with your own?" he asked suddenly rubbing his temples. I stopped dead in my tracks. He did have a point. What if my baby was sick? He was bound to get sick sooner or later. Both Fritz and Mustang looked at me weirdly. I put my hands round my stomach.

"Erm…Riza?" Mustang asked, "You alright?"

"My baby won't get sick will he?" I asked Fritz. Fritz rubbed his head with a smile on his face.

"Everyone gets sick Riza," he replied, "But if you look after him properly then he shouldn't get anything too serious."

I pushed past Fritz and Mustang to get into the house before them. I stretched as I entered the house. I froze as my eyes settled on Archer who was stood in the hallway holding a few pieces of paper in his hands.

"So you've returned?" he asked. I nodded taking off my coat. Mustang walked through the door yawning.

"Hey," he said almost lazily. Archer rounded on him.

"Why did you call for Dr Fritz?" he asked. Mustang arched an eyebrow at Archer.

"Riza had some pain in her stomach while we were walking," he said without a moment's pause. "I thought it was better to call him just in case but she seems to be fine now."

"Is that so?" Archer said. Fritz stumbled through the door. "What's your diagnosis of Miss Hawkeye?"

"Erm..." Fritz said quickly thinking on his feet, "I think she was just dehydrated. I'll keep an eye on her."

I felt Mustang's hand on my back as he gently pushed me forwards towards the stairs. Archer watched him suspiciously but Mustang ignored him. Fritz disappeared towards the kitchen. I walked carefully up the stairs and went to my room. Mustang followed me into the room and closed the door behind him. He sighed loudly.

"I need to get rid of him," he stated blankly, "He's up to no good."

"He's fine," I replied taking off my jacket and throwing onto the bed, "He's mostly harmless."

"Mostly," he repeated looking at my arm, "Still, I would sleep better knowing that he was out of your way."

"Wow," I said, "You almost sounded sweet."

"Don't mock me," was his retort. He was frowning now. He slowly raised his hands to his head and rubbed his temples. He turned towards the door and went to leave the room.

"I need to make a phone call," he stated, "I'll be back up in a few minutes."

I nodded as he left the room. I sat down on the bed for a few seconds before tip toeing to the door. I peered out and looked down the hallway. No one was around. I walked as quietly as I could manage to the stairs. I could hear Mustang talking on the phone. His voice sounded muffled like he was trying to hide what he was saying. I crept down the stairs so I could hear what he was saying.

"Yeah," he was saying, "How's Gracia holding up?" pause "Well that's good then... And Havoc? Well we suspected as much...Poor guy, I told him that his new girlfriend was no good for him but does he listen? And Gus? Hmm, that's not good... Well I suppose I could steal myself away for a bit but not right at the moment... Listen, Breda, I don't care what this new guy's like but... Briggs you say? Used to work for General Heto ...wait, didn't he die a few months ago... Well I suppose that would make them available suddenly... Weird... Breda, listen, I fully understand you're out of your depth but Hawkeye could do with a little more help at the moment... She's fine but Archer is worse than I thought... Give me until the end of the week and if I'm still not satisfied here then I'll stay but if it improves then... Grumman? Say what?"

A very long pause followed as Mustang listened intently to whatever Breda was saying. After what seemed an age, Mustang sighed loudly.

"I suppose so... Fine then, you make all the arrangements. I need this new guy to get ready for our first mission... Let's say oh-five-hundred Saturday morning? Yeah I'll be able to get there by then... I'd be thankful if you did give him the message... I also need you to do something else for me but I'll tell you about it when I get back into Central...OK... Over and out."

There was a clang as Mustang put the phone back on its perch.

"Damn it," he muttered. I stood up slowly on the stairs waiting for him to come running up them to my room. After a few seconds he appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He seemed surprised to see me there but also very upset.

"Are you going back to Central?" I asked even though I already knew the answer to the question. Mustang merely regarded me in a weird way. I smiled at him reassuringly. "I understand you have to go."

"If it were anything else I would be staying but," he looked away, "Riza, you're Grandfather's in trouble and I need to help him."

"What sort of trouble?" I asked.

"It's all so stupid really but I really need to go and help him out," he said returning his gaze onto me and locking his eyes on my face. I rubbed my arms carefully, suddenly chilled by what he said.

"Can you save him?" I asked. Mustang nodded.

"Hopefully," he replied. He hurriedly walked up a few steps so that he was level with me. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. "I'm so sorry I have to go."

"No, really, it's OK," I said. Mustang pulled away from me and ran up the remaining steps onto the landing. I followed, albeit, at a slower pace. I walked to his room where he was frantically shoving things into a bag. He piled a few books up on his desk.

"Fritz can look after these, just in case," he said as I leant against the door frame.

"Roy," I said. Mustang stopped what he was doing and slowly turned so he was facing me. "You'd best save my grandfather otherwise you'll have to answer to my grandmother."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said visibly repressing a shudder, "Are all the women in your family scary?"

"I guess so," I replied with a casual shrug.

"Well in that case," he said closing his bag and taking a long stride towards me, "I'm glad you're having a boy."

I pecked him on the lips. He replied with a long warm kiss and a soft stroke on my cheek.

"I'm sorry," he repeated, "But I'll be back soon."

"Save my grandfather or don't bother coming back," I retorted.

"I promise," he said.

***

It was one of the few mornings that everyone in the house was happy. With Mustang's departure a week ago and then Archer's a few days after that, Fritz and I seemed to be getting on with our lives a lot better. Rachel in the village was recovering nicely due to Fritz being free to go and see her more frequently now that Archer had gone. Although the house did seem quieter than usual because there was only two of us now. I missed Mustang but he called everyday once or twice to update me on my grandfather. I also received calls from my grandmother and my aunt who I'd never even met. Both of them didn't sound too good but they forced cheeriness into their phone calls to make sure I wasn't brought down.

Mustang's phone calls became my daily perk. He would call once at dinner and once in the afternoon after he'd finished working, although the evening times would differ greatly depending on what had happened in the day time. However after a week I received a very strange phone call from the office. I answered it like I normally would but the voice on the other end wasn't at all what I expected.

"Hello, Miss Hakweye?" came the reply. The voice was sweet and high pitched. I noticed it immediately as a young girl's.

"Yes this is Hawkeye," I said cautiously. I began running names through my head of all the women I knew who worked at headquarters but the voice didn't seem familiar.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, especially on this terrible outside line but I have a message from Roy," she continued. The use of his name made me freeze on the spot. This was no military personal, this was probably one of his bimbos. I gritted my teeth. "He says he's ever so sorry he couldn't call you today, he's been totally swamped, didn't even have time to pop out to lunch."

"I understand," I said through clenched teeth. There was a slight pause as the girl on the other end sensed something was wrong.

"He says that your grandfather is going into trial but not to worry since he has a pretty good defence," she continued her voice dropping slightly in pitch, "However he does advise that this could all go pear shaped at any moment."

"Things tend to," I grunted. Another slight pause.

"I take it he hasn't told you much," she said, "He didn't seem to talk about it a lot when he was phoning you previously."

"No," I replied.

"Honestly," she said, her voice suddenly warming, "There's nothing to worry about. He says he might not be able to phone you later tonight but if there is anything you want to know please phone his office."

"I will," I said. There was another long pause.

"I'm sorry but I have to go," the girl said in a rather hushed voice, "Please keep yourself in good health, Miss Hawkeye. Good bye."

I put the receiver back on its perch without saying good bye to the girl. As soon as it was back on its place I felt warm tears running down my cheeks. So that was it. I suppose I had been expecting it since he arrived here. Mustang had a new girlfriend and it was as simple as that...

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**Please don't hurt me! **

**Sorry if Riza was a bit OC. Please R&R and I'll update as soon as I can :D RSx**


	19. Uneasiness

**Sorry its taken me so long to update, I promise I'll try harder for the next chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed :)**

**A huge, huge, huge thank you to AllieKat1996 who's helped me out with my editing :) Would've been un-coherent without her :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**Uneasiness**

_I was stood holding a baby in a bundle of blankets, outside the window of a very large house on the outskirts of Central. I was gazing into a very large living room. It was dark, but I could see them. Mustang was sat on the sofa cuddled up to a very pretty looking woman. He was whispering to her and she was smiling in a very strange and evil way. She got to her feet and helped him up by holding out both hands in a loving way._

_He took her hands and pulled himself up. He went close to her body and slowly bent to pick her up. She put her arms round his neck and kissed him. One of his arms went to the crook of her knee while the other planted itself on her back. He easily picked her up like she weighed nothing at all._

_I banged on the glass._

"_Roy!" I yelled. The baby in the blankets awoke and began screaming. I went to hush it but when I looked back through the glass the woman was looking down at me._

"_He never tells you anything over the phone," she said, in the same voice as the girl from a few weeks ago, "Why do you think he's not called you. I was away when poor Maes died and you were available. Face it, Hawkeye, you were used."_

"_No!" I yelled back. The baby fell silent. I pulled the blanket down from its face to see if it was OK. I screamed as I saw the face of my father staring up at me._

"_I'm setting you up for the future," he muttered, "I'm setting you up for the future."_

_I dropped him on the floor. I turned back to the window. Mustang and the woman were back in each other's arms kissing each other passionately._

"_Roy you shouldn't let her watch," she muttered, "How cruel you are. You really shouldn't be doing this to her. Being a yo-yo in her life isn't going to do her much good."_

"_I don't plan to be a yo-yo in future, George," Mustang replied. I inhaled. My eyes fluttered open and then closed tightly again. His voice sounded so real even though I knew it wasn't._

"_Your plans aren't spectacular, sir," the girl's voice echoed in my mind but I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes_. I felt a touch on my arm and the bed sag underneath some weight.

"Yours aren't exactly perfect," Mustang muttered. The bed sagged again as another person sat down next to me. The girl sighed.

"I suppose this will earn you brownie points, sir," she continued, "After you've lost them all after Grumman was released."

"He was innocent," Mustang grunted.

"Yes," the girl agreed, "But you went against the Fuhrer, and that's not exactly excellent is it? Well at least I can sleep soundly in the knowledge that I'm not responsible for another boss's death. Pies killed the last one and the other opted for suicide."

"Have you ever met Mrs Grumman?" Mustang asked.

"Nope," she replied.

"Well then," Mustang said, with a note of amusement in his tone, "Annoying the Fuhrer was the easy choice. Annoying Mrs Grumman would be suicide."

"If you say so," the girl said. The bed creaked slightly as the girl got to her feet. "She's asleep, leave her alone and surprise her with pancakes in the morning like any other guy would."

"She's so beautiful when she's asleep," he said. There was a slap. "Ow."

"Snap out of it, and let's go before she wakes up and you give her a heart attack," the girl snapped. Reluctantly, Mustang got to his feet. I didn't hear them leave the room but as I turned over in bed and opened my eyes, I swore I saw my mother looking at me from the doorway. She paused and then silently closed the door.

***

I woke up in the morning with the sun shining in my face. I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. It was only five o' clock but I was wide-awake. I glanced across the room at Hayate who was curled up in his basket. He was snoring quietly. I decided to get up rather than loiter around in bed. I tiptoed out of the room so not to wake Hayate from his slumber. No one was awake at this time, or so I thought.

As I walked into the kitchen I stumbled onto a girl that sat at the breakfast table. Her head was on the tabletop with her face turned towards the other wall. Her hand was holding a small spoon, and she was stirring a cup of something hot. I closed the door behind me. She jumped and slowly raised her head. She couldn't have been more than twenty-two years old. She looked at me with tired eyes.

"Good morning," she greeted. Her voice sounded familiar.

"Erm...hello," I replied. The girl smiled and got to her feet.

"Would you like a drink?" she asked. I was slightly taken aback by her question since she still hadn't introduced herself.

"No," I replied, "I'm fine."

The girl looked at me with a frown. Her eyes were a hazel, while her hair was dark brown. Her hair went well past her waist and was deadly straight. She rubbed her head and began muttering to herself in some language I didn't understand.

"Sorry," she said finally, after her rant. She sat herself back down in her chair. I decided to sit down opposite her while she slumped over the table and rested her head in her arms. She moved quite comically, like she'd not had any sleep in weeks.

"Who are you?" I vocalised the question, which had been in my mind since I entered the kitchen.

"George," she said. At first by her tone I thought she was messing around, but she then raised her head and smiled at me. "Georgiana Churchill."

"I'm sorry, but what exactly are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm a first lieutenant in the military," she stated with a yawn, "I've currently been assigned to the other half of your job, ma'am."

"Other half of my job?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Gus is Mustang's new PA and I'm Mustang new body guard," she explained, "What can I say? I lost a bet with Armstrong."

"Major Armstrong? How is he?" I asked, relaxing slightly now I knew who she was.

"General Armstrong in Briggs," she corrected, "I'm from the North."

"Oh," I said, "You speak Drachmarian?"

"Oh yes," she replied, happily, "Nearly everyone who lives on the border does, and it means that sometimes you can sneak over there and get good cheap drink. Ever heard of fire whiskey?"

"No," I said.

"Well, it's a Drachma specialty," George was saying, "I love the stuff. It warms you up if you're on guard duty."

"How old are you?" I asked, suddenly rubbing my temples. I felt the dull pain of a headache coming on.

"Erm...Twenty," she replied, "I sorta won my rank in a game of cards..."

"That explains it," I muttered, "I thought you were a little too young to be a first lieutenant, when even I was pushing it."

"Ah, General Heto bet me three ranks one night while we were playing gin," she explained, "So, I was promoted, much to the displeasure of Armstrong."

We sat in an awkward silence until George smiled.

"It still hasn't clicked has it?" she asked.

"What hasn't clicked yet?" I snapped.

"The reason why I'm here," she said, blankly sipping her drink.

"Why are you here?" I asked, annoyed that she was being so childish.

"I am Mustang's body guard after all," she said, blowing the liquid and smiling. I blinked a few times before realising what she was saying. I jumped out of my seat, making the chair fall over behind me.

"He's here?" I asked.

"Yeah," she replied, "Sleeping no doubt. He hasn't had much rest."

"I'm sure," I said with a slight growl in my tone. George glanced at me before taking another sip of her drink.

"What's with the growl?" she asked. I picked the chair back up and sat down again.

"Nothing," I replied, "Is he seeing someone in Central?"

"He's seeing someone but she doesn't live in Central," she replied with a smile, "Apparently he's very taken with this young woman, I mean he wouldn't shut up about her when we were out of the office. He seems to think the world of her."

"That's nice," I said through gritted teeth.

"Anyway," she said looking at her wristwatch, "He should be up in a minute."

"How do you know?" I asked. George smiled in an evil sort of way. She held up a finger and closed her eyes. I fell silent and looked upwards. After a few seconds of silence there was a soft pang and then a yell. I glanced at George who was now grinning. There were a few minutes of silence before the door swung open.

A very disgruntled Roy Mustang was stood in the doorway glaring at George and completely ignoring me.

"What the hell were you trying to do?" he yelled. I noticed that he was dripping from head to toe. George shrugged.

"You said you wanted to wake up early," she replied airily, "I wanted a sure fire way to make sure you were up."

"Is this why Armstrong sent you? So you can torture me for some sort of amusement!" he shouted.

"No," George said standing up, "She sent me down here for some torture. Running round everyday after you takes up the majority of my time and energy. Doing stupid errands for you, like phoning up your best friend's wife to check if she's OK when you should be doing it yourself, and then trailing half way across the countryside with you just so you can come and see your beloved girlfriend, who you never told me was pregnant. Shame on you, Roy Mustang, it's pure torture!"

She slumped back in her seat. Mustang was staring at her in disbelief. After a few seconds she yawned again.

"I'm going back to bed," she stated grumpily, "It's far too warm here. I hope you're happy knowing I'm suffering from this stupid climate."

She got up again and half walked, half staggered out of the room. Both Mustang and I watched her leave the room. Mustang, still oblivious to the fact I was sat at the breakfast table, sighed loudly and rubbed his face. He paused and looked at me. He jumped visibly.

"Riza?" he asked.

"Good morning," I said, somewhat coldly. He smiled warmly at me.

"So much for surprising you," he said, with a slight chuckle. He walked over to me and kissed my forehead. I frowned.

"I thought you already had a girl friend," I snapped, folding my arms.

"Girl friend?" he asked, "I do sort of but..."

"What it the girl who phoned me a few weeks ago?" I asked.

"That was George," he muttered, "I was in court so I couldn't phone you."

"Well you didn't phone me afterwards," I snapped, "Shows how much you really care, I suppose."

"Riza," he said, resting his hand on mine, "I'm sorry I couldn't phone, although remind me to flame Havoc since I told him to call you to tell you that I couldn't, because of something going off in headquarters."

"What's that then?" I asked.

"Archer's been replaced as your guardian," Mustang said. He took his hand away as I stared at him.

"No more Archer?" I asked. Mustang shook his head triumphantly. "Then who's been assigned to look after me? What if it's someone worse than him like General Hakuro or worse, Major Armstrong…"

I clasped my hands over my cheeks as I imagined Major Armstrong barging into the room with his shirt off, crying.

"_Wow, Miss Hawkeye you look so healthy when you're with child! Such a blessing!" he roared. _

I shook my head violently much to Mustang's amusement.

"Please say it's not him," I muttered, "If it is I want Archer back."

Mustang chuckled, "Idiot."

"Who's an idiot?" I asked, taking my hands away from my face.

"I'm your new guardian," he replied, pointing at himself.

"You?" I repeated, pointing at him as well. He nodded happily. "What-the-hell-do-you-think-you're-doing-wasting-your-time-on-me-when-you've-got-your-own-goals-to-sort-out!"

Mustang jumped for a second time as I stood up in my anger, pointing threateningly at him.

"The military's not going anywhere," he stated simply, "Besides, you're the top of my priorities at the moment, so Grumman said."

"My grandfather?" I asked suddenly forgetting my rage.

"Yeah," Mustang said, "He told me to come and look after you other wise he'd shoot me himself."

"Is he OK?" I asked.

"Seems fine to me," Mustang replied, "He was cleared of all charges, which is excellent."

"Well that's a relief," I agreed. Mustang put his hands on my shoulders.

"And he didn't have to ask twice either," he said, "That's why I couldn't phone. The Fuhrer didn't want me coming here because he thought we had something, but I said it was merely professional. He did say I had a legitimate reason to come here."

"And why's that?" I asked.

"Because you are carrying my son," he replied, "And I was your father's apprentice, so if there is anything that goes wrong, which is doubtful, I should be the one to notice."

"I suppose so," I said.

"And Riza," he added sheepishly, "I'm not seeing anyone else."

"You just said you were," I snapped my rage coming back into full force.

"Well apart from a temperamental, pregnant women whom I've worked with for countless years, and been shot at by countless times," he said, with a playful grin, "There is no one else."

He pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead again. I curled up in his arms, feeling his damp shirt under my hands.

"I'm glad you're back," I muttered.

"I'm glad to be back," he replied, "I missed you."

"Hmm," I said pulling away from him, "I bet you have."

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked as I walked out of the kitchen. I merely smiled at him, and made my way back upstairs, hearing his footsteps quickly following behind me.

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**A/N: Churchill is an English prime minister during WW2. I decided to go with the war theme for the names of Mustang's subordinates. Like wise Kitchener is from another war officer, Lord Kitchener, from WW1. Hey I may not know planes but I know people.**

**Yeah, I dunno what language people from Drachma speak...**

**Please R&R and I'll update soon :)**


	20. Pills, Panic and Promises

**Hey, I'm back again! I've been busy, sort of, at Uni this week but hopefully this is OK for you lot. Thanks for your reviews :) Please review to tell me what you think about this chapter, whether you love it or hate it. Personally I'd prefer you to love it :) I seem to have an obsession with a pregnant Hawkeye at the minute... all my fanfic have some level of pregnancy in them...weird...**

**Again, a enormous thanks to AllieKat1996!!! You're the best :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA...**

* * *

**Pills, Panic and Promises**

I was lying in bed watching Mustang – no, Roy – darting round the room chasing Hayate, who had stolen one of his shoes. He was trying to make me call him Roy, but it just wasn't happening. I'd known him years and I had always called him either 'Mr Mustang', 'sir' or 'Colonel'. For the life of me I couldn't get used to calling him Roy. I could manage it while I was talking to him, but not when I was thinking about him.

I watched him stumble to the floor with a muffled thud. He growled at the dog. I couldn't help but laugh at him as Hayate walked up to him, dropped the shoe and licked him on the end of the nose. I laughed at the pair of them. They both glanced up at me.

"What are you laughing at?" Roy snapped. Hayate barked loudly. I merely shook my head in reply. Roy pushed himself to up to his knees. He picked up his shoe from the floor before walking towards the bed, throwing himself down next to me. "Isn't this nice?"

"Nice?" I asked raising my eyebrows at him.

"Well," he mumbled, "I can't really think of another word to describe it."

"Nice will do, I suppose," I replied with a smile. I pecked him temple. I turned over as I heard a knock at the door. "Come in."

The door opened widely. George was stood in the doorway. She was still wearing her civilian clothes rather than her uniform. She was wearing a short skirt and a tank top. Her hair was up in a ponytail. She glared at Mustang – Roy – with a look of pure venom.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"There's a weird doctor person to see Miss Riza," she stated, "But he's shady."

"Shady?" Roy asked sitting up, "What's his name?"

"Carmichael."

"He's my personal doctor," I explained, sitting up, more carefully than Roy had.

"He's a military doctor," George stated, "Which is why he's shady."

I got to my feet slowly. Roy didn't dare help me to my feet since I had already shouted at him for trying to help me a few times in the last week. George led me downstairs to where Carmichael was waiting for me.

"Miss Hawkeye," he greeted, "My, my, haven't we grown."

"Is that all, ma'am?" George asked with a salute. Carmichael looked at her cautiously. He hadn't realised she was in the military until she saluted.

"Yes, thank you, George," I replied.

"I'll go scrape Mustang off your bed," she muttered as she left.

"She seems a little young for the military," Carmichael said while George was still in earshot. She didn't even flinch while walking or flex her muscles in annoyance. When all said and done she was a very good officer, with very good control.

"She's mature enough," I replied, "Age is irrelevant."

"Come on," Carmichael said in his usual cheery voice. He grabbed my arm, dragging me into the dinning room. "We need to examine you."

"OK," I said, a little worried at his over anxious behaviour to get me into the dinning room. Once in the dinning room he pulled up a chair for me to sit on. I sat down looking at him suspiciously.

"Is everything alright?" I asked. Carmichael nodded quickly.

"Yes," he said, "Of course it is. It's just I haven't seen you in a while. I'm looking forwards to seeing how our miracle baby is."

He put his hand on my stomach, stroking it gently. I flinched under his touch. He smiled as the baby kicked.

"He's healthy," Carmichael said happily. He leant over to pull his stethoscope out of his bag. He placed it on my wrist then on my stomach, listening intently. "Your blood pressure is fine this time."

I remembered the last time he'd visited. I smiled slightly remembering that Must- Ugh! -- Roy –sat upstairs as my guardian. After a few questions Carmichael pulled out a pillbox from his coat pocket. He smiled widely at me.

"I'm prescribing these to you," he said, holding the bottle to me. It had no label on it, but I could see the pills were white and powdery.

"What are these?" I asked. Carmichael opened the top and got one from the bottom of the bottle. He held it up.

"It's a mineral tablet," he said, "You seem to be low on calcium, potassium and iron."

"OK," I said not bothering to ask him how he knew this without taking any tests. I knew I had been a little pale lately. I took the pill from him. "How many?"

"One every three days," he said, "For a month."

"OK," I replied, "Can I take them with water?"

"Sure," he said, standing up and disappearing from the room. He returned a few minutes later with a glass of water and George following behind him. He handed me the glass. I was about to put the tablet in my mouth when I felt a hand clasping over my wrist. I glanced up at George who was staring at the tablet.

"What is that?" she asked.

"It's a mineral tablet," Carmichael replied calmly, "She's low on a few minerals like potassium and calcium."

George didn't let go of my hand. I found she was shaking ever so slightly. She held out her other hand towards Carmichael.

"May I see the label please?" she asked. Carmichael frowned at her.

"I don't have one for the bottle," he said, "It's a new tablet."

"She's not taking it," George said ripping the tablet from my fingers. I glared at her as she held it up to her nose. She sniffed once. Her gaze returned to Carmichael. "It doesn't smell like minerals."

"It's a tablet," Carmichael snapped, "You can't simply walk in here telling me I can't prescribe minerals to my patient because you don't trust me."

"I don't trust you because this tablet is made out of a herb which acts as an abortifacient," George snapped, "It's polyeneth-curolisy*."

"How would you know that?" Carmichael asked.

"Because up in the Briggs this little pill was one of the most bought by female officers," George said, "Most of my friends popped this pill once or twice since I joined the military."

Carmichael froze on the spot as George pulled out an arrow from her skirt. I glanced at her for a few seconds before getting slowly to my feet.

"George," I said, "Doctor Carmichael is my personal doctor and I trust him. I doubt he's trying to hurt me."

"Hmm..." George said. She paused for a second before bellowing: "MUSTANG!"

Roy entered the room a few seconds later, looking a little annoyed and worried at the same time.

"What?" he snapped. He looked from her to Carmichael.

"He's trying to make Riza have an abortion," she stated bluntly. Roy glared at her like he didn't believe her either.

"Why would he do that?" he asked.

"Pass me the salt," she said. Roy looked at her before going towards the kitchen, disappearing through the door and returning with a pot of salt in his hand. George lowered her arrow, grabbing the water from me and pouring a sizeable amount of salt into the water. I looked at her.

"What are you doing?" I asked. She grinned.

"If it is a mineral tablet then you take one," she said, "If it's not then you wouldn't wanna poison yourself."

Roy grabbed the tablet from her hand.

"Here," he said, "I trust Carmichael and I'll prove he's not lying."

Without another word he swallowed the pill. We all watched him. Carmichael was in disbelief. George was staring at him like he was the most stupid man on the planet. I watched Roy's reaction to the pill. He seemed fine at first then suddenly he froze on the spot.

"Uh oh," he muttered. He calmly left the room, grabbing the cup of salt water from George. George grinned as he stumbled towards the doorway.

"Can I kill him?" she asked. Carmichael's face finally broke. He sat down on a chair with his hands in his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, "But this is just not right."

"What's not right?" George asked.

"This baby is unnatural," he said, "The military want to know how to do this to other women so they can raise an army of soldiers suitable for service."

"So why did you try to make me abort my baby?" I asked, my voice breaking a little, from the rage I was just starting to feel.

"Polyeneth-curolisy leaves no trace," Carmichael said, "That's why it's so frequently used in the Briggs. If Miss Hawkeye's baby died or she miscarried, then the military would give up on it."

"But why didn't you tell me!" I yelled jumping to my feet, "I trusted you! Roy trusted you enough to take the damn pill, and he could die!"

I rushed out of the room to find Roy. I was so worried about him. Damn that stupid man for being so careless. I paused at the toilet, opening the door slightly before stepping in. Roy was sat on the floor holding his head in his hands.

"Idiot," I mumbled as I sat down beside him.

"Remind me never, ever, ever to doubt her again," he murmured. I kissed his cheek.

"You always learn the hard way, don't you Roy?" I replied. He looked weakly at me.

"I think I got most of it out of my system," he stated. He looked at the empty glass beside him. "Something tells me that girl is going to be even more trouble for me than she is now."

"She's just looking out for us," I said, "I don't think she expected you to be so damn stupid and eat the damned pill."

"Sorry," he said, "I'm far too trusting."

"You are," I agreed. Roy looked at me for a second.

"Wait, did you leave those two alone?" he asked. I nodded.

"He was explaining to her why he did what he did," I replied.

"And I'm the idiot?" he asked, getting shakily to his feet. We walked towards the dinning room to the door was closed. We opened the door.

On the floor lay Carmichael with George's arrow in his chest. George was sat on the floor in a pained way clutching her ribs. I was surprised to see Fritz beside Carmichael, checking for a pulse.

"Damn it," Fritz said. He turned to George. "Why the hell did you let him get the damned arrow?"

"I didn't have a choice," George snapped back, "He hit me in my ribs. I think he's broken one. He's stronger than he looks you know."

"Get me the phone," Fritz ordered. He turned to see Roy and I stood in the doorway looking confused.

"Later," Fritz told us, "Just get Riza out of here."

"But-" I was cut off by Roy sweeping me off my feet and carrying me back upstairs. I wanted to know what happened but there was no way Fritz would tell me at the moment. Roy had his arms round my body and under my knees. I felt quite comfortable but I had got to be heavy. I rested my head against his chest.

"Roy," I said.

"Yeah," he replied solemnly.

"If the Fuhrer decides to take my father's secrets and force them on other girls, then will you destroy them?" I asked. He stopped walking. His body tensed completely. For a minute we stood in silence.

"I... I..." he seemed lost for words for a few minutes more, "I'm sorry, I couldn't possibly hurt you again."

"But, it's what I want!" I shouted. I looked up into those onyx eyes. They were filled with sadness and guilt. He averted his gaze from me.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. I put my head back against his chest.

"Ed said I was going to die anyway," I said. Roy's breath became ragged. He let my legs go, so I could stand in front of him.

"You are not going to die," he said venomously, "I don't care what that short tempered brat thinks, but you're not."

"But he's a prodigy!" I yelled, "He understands everything about alchemy!"

"Yeah he might do," Roy said raising his voice a little, "But I knew your father and he would never kill you. He was a perfectionist. His notes were always spot on. He would have never tattooed your back without making sure that your life wasn't in danger!"

"He hated me!" I roared feeling the warm trickle of tears roll down my cheek. Roy stopped shouting. He brushed the tears away with his thumb.

"He loved you," he said, "That's why he asked me to protect you."

"But he hated you too," I said weakly. He pulled me into his embrace. He kissed my head.

"I'm not giving you up without a fight Riza," he said, "I've waited too long to be with you like this."

"But what if I do die?" I asked, feeling more warm, wet tears run down my cheeks. His grip round my shoulders and waist tightened.

"I won't let you go," he said, "Even if I had to follow you."

"No," I said, "You have goals to fulfill. Think about Maes. Think about Ishval!"

"If I don't have you, I have no reason for living," he replied.

"What about the baby?" I asked, "Would you give him up so easily?"

He didn't answer. We stood for the longest time in each others embrace.

"You're not going to die," Roy said, "I promise."

* * *

_(*I made it up after finding there is no such pill, but hey, these guys use Alchemy so anything can happen.)_

**A/N: I'll update ASAP. Cheers! And please don't hurt me!!!!**


	21. Final Months

Thanks for all your reviews!!! Really means a lot to me!

Big thank you to AllieKat1996 :D

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Final Months

I rolled over in the night, waking myself suddenly. I opened my eyes looking around for Roy but he wasn't there. I sat up gingerly in bed wondering whether he'd simply gone to the toilet or if he'd gone downstairs for something. However there was something in my head that didn't seem right. I could hear some soft murmurings from downstairs. I looked towards Hayate's basket. It was empty.

Confused slightly by the disappearance of my boyfriend, I swung my legs out from underneath the duvet and stood up. Where were they? I walked carefully onto the landing. It all seemed quiet here. I walked on trying not to make the floorboards creak but I couldn't really help it with my current weight. I made it to the top of the stairs. I looked down onto bright light. Roy was stood, dressed, with Hayate at his feet. In front of him stood George donning her military uniform, with fur collars and cuffs, with a brown bag by her feet. She was writing something in a small leather notebook.

"Anything else?" she asked. Roy thought for a moment before clicking his fingers like he remembered something important.

"Yeah," he said happily, "Remember to give Fullmetal abuse whenever he comes into the office."

"You have too much time on your hands," George retorted. She snapped the book shut, slipping it into her coat pocket. "Is that all, sir?"

"Yeah, I think so," Roy replied. George gave him a snappy salute to which Roy returned. George then patted Hayate on the head in a loving way.

"Good night, Miss Riza," she said suddenly with a grin on her face. Roy glanced round, his eyes almost immediately finding me.

"I thought you were in bed," he said.

"Sorry," I said, carefully walking down the stairs to the couple, "I woke up and you weren't there. Are you returning to Central?"

"Yeah," George said, "I suppose it is time that I got back there to sort out the mess Havoc's caused."

"That should keep you preoccupied for a while," Roy agreed. George held her hand out for me to shake. I took it. Her hands were surprisingly cold, like ice. She smiled warmly at me as she gently squeezed my hand.

"Take care of her, Mustang other wise I will shoot you," she warned, "It's been an honour."

"Take care of yourself," Roy replied. I nodded.

"Please phone if you have any trouble," I added. George only smiled.

"Hey if this guy could become a Colonel, then I think I can handle a few middle aged men," George said. Roy chuckled lightly. He put his arm round me and pulled me close to his body. George picked up her bag and turned towards the front door, pausing for a second.

"I'm sorry about your doctor," she said, "He was insane."

"Please don't worry about it," I replied, "He chose his own way. I guess things had been a little rough lately for him. It's a shame he killed himself before we could help him."

"Phone me when the baby's born," she stated before opening the door and disappearing into the night. I frowned. How come everyone seemed to be doing that to me at the moment? Roy shivered beside me.

"Are you cold?" I asked.

"No, I just got a chill up my spine," he replied with a smile, "Let's go back to bed."

He kissed the top of my head before leading me back upstairs to my bedroom, Hayate following shortly behind us.

***

The time to my due date seemed to tick by faster since George left. Roy and Fritz were forever busy keeping up with my needs. They didn't mind, or so they said. I felt guilty about making them run round like maniacs on a daily basis. At least the busy days were helping Roy sleep. Since George's departure he was forever worried about my safety especially when it came to strangers visiting the house.

A few weeks after George's departure there was a knock on the door. Roy and I were sat in the lounge at the time. Roy went to open the door for who ever it was only to be verbally attacked by Edward Elric. After a five-minute word fight they decided to sit with Al and I to talk about the Philosopher's Stone. They had given up on their search after finding that the key ingredient was in fact humans but they had new information about the people who had attacked them in Central all those months ago. Roy seemed interested in the information since these were the people responsible for the death of Maes. I watched Roy's facial expressions nervously.

"That's very interesting," he said finally once Ed had finished telling us about the people. Ed and Al looked at him strangely.

"That's it?" Ed asked. Roy blinked a few times.

"What do you mean?" Roy asked.

"We've finally found a lead on the people who murdered Hughes and all you can say is 'that's very interesting?" Ed yelled. I cringed in my seat. Roy didn't look impressed by Ed's outburst.

"If Riza gives birth to a deaf child, I'm blaming you," Roy said dryly, earning him a death glare from Ed.

"But Colonel," Al went on, "Surely you would love to investigate it yourself. You said you wanted to bring these people to justice."

Roy shook his head before holding a hand to his chin.

"Yeah if Hughes was really that important to you then you would be wanting to get a head start right now," Ed said. Roy frowned.

"I suppose it's pretty easy to go wherever you want to go whenever you want but if you two boys haven't noticed I have something rather important to do here," Roy replied, a bitter undertone in his voice. Ed had most definitely struck a nerve and stabbed it a few times. Both the brothers looked at him confused. Roy rubbed his head. "If I suddenly left here to pursue these people then Hughes would rise from his grave and kill me for leaving Riza alone in all of this."

Ed and Al turned their heads to look at me. I looked down at the carpet in front of me.

"I don't mind," I said. Roy shot a look at me.

"Well I do," he replied folding his arms, "It's taken me almost a decade to get where I am now. I'm going to try my best not to screw it up."

Ed blinked a few times.

"Where you are now?" he asked. Roy shot him a poisonous look.

"Yes," Roy said. Al looked confused while Ed looked disgusted. Roy stood up suddenly. "Not like that you pervert."

I laughed softly from my seat. Roy walked over to me and sat himself down next to me.

"Forget it," Roy went on, "I'm not leaving Riza."

"If you say so," Ed chimed in. I could feel how tense Roy was beside me.

"How's Winry?" I asked hoping to change the subject, however I only made things worse as Roy and Ed began to argue once again.

***

I leant back on the bed, exhausted by walking up the stairs. I was panting. I hated feeling so useless and out of breath all the time but I guess it meant the end was coming. I rolled onto my side looking at the clock on the bedside table. Outside it was cold. It was autumn already. How time flew. I was nearing the end of my time. Eight months I had carried this baby. I sighed deeply. Ed and Al had been involved in something big in Central but Roy wouldn't tell me. Since he and Ed had fallen out weeks ago he'd acted like he didn't care about Ed.

The weeks were becoming more and more like the same. I was getting bored of my time cooped up like this. I shouldn't complain because Roy was beside my almost twenty-four hours a day. It was just that as it came closer to the date I became a lot less able to do the things I would normally. It all seemed to catch up with so suddenly and it was pure torture for me.

Roy popped his head round the door.

"You need anything?" he asked. I shook my head in a perfectly miserable way. I heard him chuckle. He walked over to my bed, sitting down next to me. He stroked my hair before planting a light kiss on my head.

"I'm fed up," I stated, "I hate not being able to do the things I want."

Roy kissed my lips.

"What do you want to do?" he asked. I looked up at him.

"Walking up the stairs without getting out of breath would be nice," I replied, "Being able to move without something blocking me would also be appreciated."

He kissed me again. He didn't say anything as we parted. He went back to stroking my hair.

"Riza," he said, "I want to ask you something."

"What?" I asked, sitting up. Roy avoided my eyes, looking towards the clock instead.

"I've been dancing round an idea for a while now," he said.

"Roy," I said.

"I know, I know you hate it when I have an idea," he went on.

"Roy," I repeated.

"But I really want to –"

"Roy!" I shouted suddenly causing him to look at me. He blinked several times.

"What's wrong?" he asked after seeing the pained expression on my face. I felt tears fall down my cheeks. I couldn't speak. It took all my energy to stop myself from screaming. I put my hand on my stomach. I bit into my lip looking down at the bed. I looked back up at Roy only to find he was at the door shouting wildly for Fritz. I felt my arms get weak. I slumped onto the bed. My eyelids grew heavy. They began to close.

"Riza! Stay with me!" I heard Roy shout, his arms grabbing me tightly. It was the last thing I ever heard...

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Sorry about the suddenness of this chapter's ending but I sort of got bored... Sorry for saying that but writing pregnant Riza was getting old. Hope you enjoyed it though!

Please read my other fanfics, I may have another one coming out soon *puppy dog eyes*

RSx


	22. New Beginnings

**Prompted by Spamer. Sorry I didn't realise it was a month since I last updated this!!! Here it is, hope you enjoy it. There's still quite a bit of the story left in my head so hopefully I'll be able to update when I get it written :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

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New Beginnings

The bright morning sun was pouring over my face. I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in a room I'd never been in before. I sat up in bed, regretting it instantly as my arms crumbled underneath the weight of my body. The room was a pale blue colour. There were silk curtains over the window in a white colour. I was laid in a four poster bed with a blue duvet. Where in Amestres was I?

The door opened. I jumped not expecting someone to enter the room. The person in question was a young woman holding a tray with a bowl on it. She looked at me. She gasped, dropping the tray loudly.

"Sir! Sir! She's awake!" she cried almost manically. There were footsteps below me. The woman looked like she was watching someone come towards her. A few seconds later Roy Mustang rushed through the door, panting.

"Riza?" he said. He rushed to my bed pulling me into a tight embrace. "Just when I leave your side for a moment you decide that's the best time to wake up!"

"I'm sorry," I said softly. Roy sighed.

"I was so worried about you," he went on pulling away from the embrace. I smiled slightly at him.

"I'm sorry," I repeated, "The pain just overwhelmed me I guess."

Roy nodded. He looked tired. I went to put my hand on my stomach to find it wasn't there. I glanced down. My stomach had deflated a lot. I screamed.

"The baby!" I shouted at Roy.

"Calm down my dear," came the soothing voice of my grandfather. I looked at him confused. General Grumman was stood by the side of my bed looking as calm as ever. I glanced at Roy who was staring at me in a concerned way.

"You collapsed," Roy said, "Fritz had to do an emergency C-Section to save the baby but..."

"But?" I asked. Roy pulled me back into his embrace.

"I thought I'd lost you," he said. I returned the hug figuring the worst for the baby. I heard Grumman cough loudly making Roy and I break apart. I looked towards the doorway to see my grandmother holding a bundle of blankets. She walked quietly towards the bed handing Roy the bundle.

"Congratulations, Riza," she said, a wide smile appearing on her kind old wrinkled face. Roy carefully handed me my baby, making sure I wasn't going to drop him. I felt overwhelmed by tears. I had a son...

"Let's leave these three alone, my dear," my grandmother said to Grumman. I heard them leave the room, closing the door behind them. I looked up at Roy but he was far from happy.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Roy forced a smile onto his face.

"Promise me you won't do that again," he said.

"I promise," I said smiling. He stroked my cheek gently.

"We have a slight problem, Riza," he said sadly. My face dropped.

"What?" I asked. As he started to explain what had happened while I'd been out I started to remember back to what Archer said to me months and months ago. I found myself unable to look Roy directly in the eyes. This was my fault. I'd forgotten to tell him. If I had then he could've done something about it but now it was too late. I refused to look at him, even after he had finished speaking.

"Riza?" he asked softly.

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling my voice crackle under the strain of holding back tears. Roy cupped my chin forcing me to look at him. I looked at him for a second before closing my eyes as he kissed me. His lips on mine felt sweet and warm but I pulled back, away from him. "I'm sorry."

Roy didn't say anything. He only stared at me warmly. He stroked the baby's head gently.

"He's been named," Roy said suddenly, "I had to get his birth certificate done while you were still out cold."

"What name did you give him?" I asked.

"Kitchener Roy Hawkeye," he replied absently. I stared at him not knowing how he knew what name I'd chosen for my son.

"How - ?" I asked unable to form a full sentence. Roy smiled warmly again.

"Fritz said," he replied, "He wondered why we hadn't talked about it."

"I'm sorry," I said, "I'm screwing up all over the place at the minute. Maybe I should've stayed unconscious."

"Don't be stupid," Roy snapped. He lifted Kitchener out of my arms. He shuffled so his back was against the head board. He was holding the baby so naturally. I couldn't believe it. I stroked the baby's head. "Can you remember what we were talking about before you passed out?"

"Hmm?" I said, thinking back, "No I'm sorry. I was in too much pain."

"Hmm," Roy replied, "It's not important."

"Are you sure?" I asked. Roy smiled at me reassuringly.

"I love you, Riza," he said. I smiled back at him. I put my head on his shoulder, wrapping my arms round his waist.

"He has your eyes," I said looking down at the baby who had just opened his onyx eyes. He was looking at me oddly. Roy chuckled.

"Yeah," Roy said, "Let's hope he takes after you rather than me or your father."

"Yeah," I agreed, "Let's hope."

***

"RIZA!" I heard the voice of my best friend scream at me from the door way. Roy was sat next to me on the bed looking through a family photo album. I was holding Kitchener, or Kit for short, in my arms, feeding him with a bottle. It seemed like we all turned to look at Rebecca. She was beaming ear to ear at me. "You're alright!"

"Rebecca," I said as she came to give me a gentle squeeze. Roy closed the album with a snap.

"I'll leave you alone with the harpy but I'm taking my son," he moaned.

"He's still feeding," Rebecca snapped. Roy cupped Kit in his arms with the bottle still in place. Roy walked out the room as if it was no trouble at all. Rebecca watched him with great interest. She quickly turned to me.

"How are you?" she asked.

"I'm feeling fine now," I replied honestly, "It's taken me a few days to get over my long sleep but I'm finally getting there."

"That's good," Rebecca said with a sigh. She looked at me. "The baby suits you, Ri, but so does his father."

"What does that mean?" I snapped.

"Don't play dumb, Riza," Rebecca laughed, "I saw him while you were out. He never left your side. He was dragged away by your grandmother a few times but that was it. One night I popped in and found him curled up next to you, snoring his head off. I hate to admit it but he looked sort of cute."

"He sleeps better when some one's there," I replied.

"Explains his bed hopping nature then," Rebecca said, "Any way, how do you know that?"

"I ... er," I paused realising I'd walked myself into a trap. I sighed. "Promise you'll not say a word to any one else?"

"Swear," she replied promptly, "Otherwise you get to shoot me."

"Deal," I agreed, "Since he started looking after me we've been sleeping in the same bed."

"Never," Rebecca gasped, "You have got to be joking."

"No," I said.

"Was he gentle with you seeing as you already had a baby in there?" Rebecca asked. I sighed.

"We didn't do _that_," I replied, "We just used to curl up beside each other and fall asleep. We'd talk about anything really. It was nice."

"That sounds nice," Rebecca said, "So you going to marry him?"

"What?" I snapped.

"Well," Rebecca said, a crafty smile crawling onto her lips, "You've already had a child with him so why not."

"Because," I said with a slight stutter, "He doesn't want to marry me. You said it yourself, he likes to bed hop."

"I think he's content with your bed," Rebecca said.

"Oh shut up," I snapped. Rebecca wiped the smile off her face.

"I think he loves you, Ri," she said sincerely, "When he was trying to become your guardian he also put my name forwards just in case he didn't get the job."

"Really?" I asked.

"He begged me to come look after you that time as well," Rebecca went on, "He's definitely in love with you, Ri."

"I guess so," I said with a sigh.

"Face it," Rebecca said brightly, "Any other man would've headed for the hills once he found out you were pregnant but he didn't."

"Alchemists like to leave something behind," I stated, "I lived with one all my childhood. He didn't have me because he wanted a child. He wanted to leave a mark."

"That's cruel," Rebecca said. We both fell silent as the door opened. Roy walked through the room towards the baby's cot to pick up a blanket and pillow. He quickly left the room again. "See, he's almost domesticated."

"Almost?" I asked.

"Just get him to learn how to cook and you're sorted," Rebecca said happily. I frowned at her. She stopped smiling for a second. "It's nice to see you're back to your normal, controlled self."

"Hmm?" I asked.

"I suppose your hormones will start to go back to normal now," Rebecca explained. I nodded in agreement.

"I should be able to return to work soon," I said.

"Work?" Rebecca asked.

"Yeah," I replied coldly, "Why shouldn't I return to work?"

"Seeing as you've just given birth to your Commanding Officer's baby, I'd say no," Rebecca snapped like she was laying down her law, "I say sponge off him as long as possible."

"I can't do that," I stated, "Besides I won't have Kit to look after for that long so I should return to work."

"Say what!" Rebecca yelped.

"Apparently since I'm a single mother the state won't support me until I'm married," I replied, "Even though I've got my grandparents and my own money."

"So that's simple," Rebecca said with a click of her fingers, "Marry Mustang and you're set for life."

"Why do I feel like I'm some continuous loop with you?" I asked putting my head in my hands. Rebecca was grinning widely. She looked down at her wristwatch.

"Damn," she muttered, "I have to go."

"Thank you for dropping by," I said. Rebecca squeezed my hand.

"Take care," she said. She walked out of the room, leaving a sense of emptiness behind. I smoothed out the bed covers waiting for the sound of anyone coming up the stairs. For a few minutes there was none. I lent back against the pillows feeling exhausted. I looked towards the baby's cot. He would be gone soon. I was powerless to stop the state from taking him away.

The door opened, making me jump. Roy was holding a sleeping Kit in his arms. He closed the door behind him with his foot.

"The harpy's gone," he announced. I frowned at him as he walked across the room to the cot, placing Kit in it ever so gently. Rebecca was right. He'd become so domesticated in such a short space. Roy glanced back at me. "What's with the frown?"

"Nothing," I replied, "Just thinking what I was going to do without him."

"Yeah," Roy agreed.

"I need to ask my grandfather for the forms to return to work," I stated, rubbing my stomach, "When I'm well enough."

"Work?" Roy asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "I should probably get back. The sooner I get back the sooner I should be able to get back into the routine and join up with you in Central."

"I don't want you to go back to work," Roy said after a few minutes. His back was towards me so when I looked at him I couldn't read his expressions. "Well, not until Kit is old enough."

"Kit's not going to around," I said, "He'll find a better home with a real family not just me."

"Do you want him to be sent off like that?" Roy asked. I frowned.

"I don't see the point in dreaming. What I want and what will happen are two different things," I snapped. Roy turned round suddenly.

"So you want him to stay?" he asked. Slowly I nodded.

"I would love for him to stay with me," I replied, "I don't actually know if I could deal with him being taken away from me. But how can I stop the state taking him away?"

"There is one way," Roy said. I looked at him reading his eyes.

"No," I replied sharply. Roy's face contorted.

"What do you mean, no?" he asked, "It's the best way. Kit stays with us and you don't have to work."

"And we'll be held hostages the moment that the Fuhrer senses something," I snapped, "Your dream is more important than us."

"I don't believe it is," Roy said childishly. He walked towards my bed sitting down beside me. "I love you and I love Kit too. If I can't live with you two then why should I bother?"

"But –"

"My father said along time ago, you only get one chance at some things so embrace them while they're still around," Roy said putting a finger on my lips to stop me interrupting him again. "My dream can wait a little while longer. I mean sooner or later the Fuhrer is going to die so why not wait until then to try and fill the void? But I don't see any sense in throwing this away. I'm happy, you're happy, even your grandfather is smiling like a Cheshire cat."

"You can ruin a good thing by letting it go on too long," I said taking his finger away from my lip. I could see him tense. "These last few months have been wonderful but you and I both know that you're not the type to settle down. I could never ask you to do that in order to help me. I'm sorry, Roy, but I don't want to imprison you."

"You wouldn't be," Roy protested, "I love you, honestly!"

He stood up.

"I've stayed here for months looking after you because I loved you," he said, "One of the reasons I had you assigned to me was because I wanted to keep an eye on you. I love you!"

"I'm sorry, Roy," I muttered. His face fell. He stayed glued to the spot for a minute or two before rushing out the room, slamming the door behind him. I flinched as the door slammed. Gripping the duvet in my hands, I pulled it over my head and cried like I had never done before.

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**Please Read and Review and yes, I know how mean I am :)**


	23. Bad Days

**Sorry it's taken so long to update again :( I've been busy with Uni stuff but hopefully this will be OK for you all :)**

**Thanks for all your reviews, they really help me write.**

**I don't own FMA but I really did enjoy Chap 102 :P**

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Bad Days

I awoke in a groggy mood. I flicked the duvet off of me. I could hear Kit crying loudly from his cot. Smiling slightly to myself I got up onto my feet and quietly walked towards the cot. I picked him up, cradling him in my arms.

"You hungry?" I asked. The baby stopped crying. His eyes were looking hopeful. I smiled down at him. "Come on then."

I took him down stairs towards the kitchen. No body was awake. I sighed, half glad that Roy wasn't around. As I prepared the baby's milk I stood staring out of the window. I felt bad, well that was an understatement, for what I said to Roy but it was necessary. Kit gurgled in my arms. I glanced down at him.

"What am I going to do?" I asked him. Kit giggled up at me. "I suppose I'll have to deal with."

I gently placed the bottle in Kit's mouth and he began to drink. His huge onyx eyes were watching me wearily. They seemed almost fearful. I rocked him gently in my arms.

"It's going to be fine," I told him but part of it was directed at myself, "You're going to be put into a nice family who will love you and never put you in danger."

Kit pushed the bottle away from his mouth and gurgled for a few seconds before he allowed me to push the bottle back into his mouth.

"We both love you," I continued, "Don't forget that. We only want what's best for you. And when your daddy reaches his goals we'll come looking for you. Don't you worry. We'll never forget about you."

I carefully took the bottle off of Kit and placed it on the side next to the sink. I held Kit close to my shoulder, so that his head was level with mine, and gently patted his back until there was an ever so cute burp. Kit giggled at himself. I smiled too. Then it suddenly dawned on me that leaving him was going to be the hardest thing in my life.

***

There are times when you feel like time has slowed right down so that it's crawling along rather than going at a normal pace. I had my son for a week. That's all. The days weren't long enough. No body thought so.

Two people from social services came dressed in their military uniforms. One was a stern looking woman with her greying hair up in a tight bun, while the other was a hard faced man who looked like he'd been in the Special Forces before being assigned to this job. The woman tried to pick Kit up out of his cot but Kit fought back, wailing as hard as he could while thrashing about. In the end Roy stepped forwards and picked him up, but refused to give him over to the woman before everyone had said their good byes.

My Grandmother was already in tears as were a few of the staff. My Grandfather, being my Grandfather, gave the baby a brisk salute rather than a cuddle. My Grandmother on the other hand planted five wet kisses all over Kit's face making him wince. Roy said his good bye before passing him to me. Roy's good bye was the simplest and most heart touching good bye I had ever seen.

"Be good now," he muttered to Kit and kissed him on his head. He then slowly passed Kit to me.

"Don't worry about us," I said to Kit, forcing back the tears brewing in my eyes. "We'll miss you, Kit."

The woman stepped forwards to take him off me but I stepped backwards.

"If I ever see your name on a Military list I will personally hunt you down and ground you, got it?" I continued. I kissed him on his cheek. "I love you."

The silence was only broken by my Grandmother, whose sobs had become increasingly louder. I gingerly passed Kit to the woman. The woman took Kit without another word while the man picked up a bag of baby stuff that I had packed for Kit. My Grandmother walked from the room in floods of tears. My Grandfather followed her a few minutes later leaving Roy and me in the same room. Since our argument we had avoided each other as much as possible. We stood in an awkward silence for a few minutes until Roy turned to leave the room. He paused at the door.

"I'll be leaving for Central in a few days," he said quietly. I didn't reply to him. He probably hated me right now and I had no right to ask him to stay. I remained quiet as he left the room. After a few seconds I turned round and followed him.

"Roy," I said. He stopped in the hallway but didn't turn round to look at me. "I'm sorry but he's safe now."

Roy turned round to look at me. He had a deep frown on his face. I walked towards him slowly.

"When you complete your mission then we'll find him," I said. For the first time in a few days he smiled. He shook his head.

"Riza," he said, "I understand your reasons but…"

He paused and sighed.

"Forget it," he said, turning back round and walking off. Before turning the corner he shouted: "Children aren't as forgiving as you think they are."

I bit my lip hard as his final sentence hit me. I lent back on the wall behind me figuring what to do. I suddenly realised the reason for Roy's anger. He understood what I was saying but that wasn't what he was angry about. It would be easier if Kit wasn't around for him but it would mean loosing me as a close ally. I wouldn't be able to protect him on a day to day basis but I would be protecting him from any type of blackmailing.

That he could understand but what made him angry was the fact we had abandoned Kit, just as Roy's mother had abandoned him when he was five. I sighed deeply. I stood up straight and marched towards Roy's room.

His door was open. It looked like he was half way through packing for his return to Central. I frowned as I scanned the room for him but he either wasn't there or he blended in well with the mess. I noted his clothes and book lying all over the floor, bed and desk. Roy was a very messy person.

He emerged from the bathroom holding a book in his hand. He glanced up at me. He didn't say anything but rather froze on the spot.

"I'll come with you to Central," I stated. Roy frowned.

"Why?" he asked. I walked further into the room.

"Because I can't stay here at the minute," I said, "My Grandmother will drive me insane. And because I want to go and see George and Gracier."

"Fine," Roy said. He threw the book in his hand onto his bed. He busied himself around the room. I smiled weakly and walked back out into the hall. I walked towards the stairs and slowly went downstairs to face the music.

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I'll post the next chapter before I go on holiday, or try to... Promise! I think I'm off my mean streak at the moment so things should start picking up soon.

**:) **

**RS**


	24. The Rain On the Windows

**It's been snowing here in Sheffield!!!! Woo! There's an ever so nice pure white blanket over everything. So pretty, I've already taken loads of photos with my dying camera, bless.**

**Anyway, as promised the next chapter :)**

**Thanks for all your reviews and stuff, makes me happy to get emails :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, but I've asked for it for Christmas :P**

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Rain on the Windows

The rain was keeping me awake. I glanced towards the window and groaned. I hated the rain when it was so loud! I turned over in bed and looked at the clock. It was twelve o'clock. I had to get up in six hours so I could catch the train to Central with Roy. I groaned again. What was I thinking?

I sat up in bed, figuring I had no chance of falling to sleep any time soon, I got to my feet and walked downstairs to make myself a hot cup of milk. Hot milk was supposed to make you fall to sleep but I found it didn't work. Knowing it didn't work never stopped me from making some though.

I was about to enter the kitchen when I noticed that the living room light was on. Curious at the source of the light, I walked quietly towards the room and opened the door. Roy was sat reading on the sofa. I sighed in relief, glad it wasn't my Grandfather. Roy looked up at me.

"Sorry," I said, "I couldn't sleep. I was going to make myself some hot milk. Would you like some?"

Roy smiled at me.

"Sure," he replied, getting to his feet. He followed me into the kitchen. He watched me as I poured two mugs of milk into a pan and heated it over the oven.

"Is the rain keeping you up too?" I asked trying to stir a conversation rather than standing in an awkward silence.

"Yeah," he replied, "Although I've not been sleeping well for the last few weeks."

"That's not good," I said.

"No it's not," he agreed, "I have no idea what I'm going to do in Central if I can't get some sleep. George will kill me if I'm sleeping on the job."

"I can imagine. She's not as soft as me," I said as I stirred the milk.

"Yeah. I wonder who is left in the office," Roy said musing over his last sentence.

"Who's survived?" I asked, "Well Havoc's out then."

"And Fullmetal probably," Roy agreed. He laughed for a second or two. "You can imagine her killing him after his first outburst about being short."

I laughed too thinking about the situation. George wasn't the sort of officer to let people get away with things like that. I suppose it came from the Briggs training she had.

I took the saucepan off the heat and poured the milk into the mugs again. The milk was steaming. I passed a mug to Roy, who took it cautiously.

"Thanks," he said. He took a few sips of the milk. I followed suit not wanting to seem like I was staring at him or anything. After a few minutes of silence Roy put his mug on the side with a loud clang. I glanced at him, sharply.

"I envy you," he said suddenly. I was surprised at his words. Of all the words to pick, envy wasn't one of the ones I expected him to pick. I held my mug tightly.

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Because you're so damn calm in situations like this," he replied coldly, "You can be in the worse case scenario and yet you wouldn't show an ounce of fear or an ounce of panic, you'd just get the job done."

"It comes with years of sniper training," I replied, "It's best to keep your composure than to loose control."

"How did you train yourself to do that?" he asked, looking down at his cup.

"It came naturally to me," I replied honestly, "I guess an unloving father helped me adapt."

"Can you teach me how to control my emotions?" he asked now turning his eyes into mine. I took a sip from my mug without breaking eye contact with him.

"I won't," I said finally. Roy opened his mouth to protest but I spoke before he could make another sound. "Your goals are based on your emotions. Your emotions make you who you are like my absence of emotions make me, me."

"I guess so," Roy said, sounding like a child, "How am I going to cope without you, Riza? You've been by my side for years and I don't think I can handle you not being there."

For a few more minutes there was nothing but silence. We were both staring down at the floor. Before long I sighed loudly. I took another drink from my mug. Roy's attention flickered onto me for almost a second before he went back to staring at the floor.

"Roy," I said softly. He looked up at me. "I'll always be there for you, you do know that, right?"

"No. No you won't," he replied, "If you were going to be there for me always then you'd have agreed to marry me."

"Roy," I said, touching his arm gently. He placed his hand on top of mine on his arm. "You know why I don't want to marry you."

"Do you love me, Riza?" he asked. I was surprised by his words again, not expecting him to be so blunt. I bit my lip as I stared into those onyx eyes. He was trying to read my mind but it had gone completely blank. I was totally caught off guard by his question. Before I knew what was happening I heard a voice that sound exactly like mine say:

"Yes, I love you, Roy."

"Then, we'll find away around it," he said, his facial expression relaxing. He smiled at me. It was a genuine smile. I found myself smiling back at him. The next thing I knew I was in his arms. He was hugging me tightly. I raised my head so he could kiss me. His lips were surprisingly warm as they pressed against mine. We seemed to be in each others arms for hours while stood in the kitchen but really we only spent five minutes stood there. Once we'd finished our milk, or once it had gone cold, we left the kitchen and went back upstairs to bed.

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**WOOP! I'll try to update before I go on holiday but with Uni stuff and packing and Christmas I may not have enough time... although I am on holiday...**

**Please R&R!!!**

**RSx**


	25. To Central

**WOO! First of all I'd love to say a late Happy New Year to everyone :) Hope you enjoyed the holidays. Secondly, I still can't believe the snow we still have in Yorkshire. It was a bit much coming back off of holiday to a white blanket of snow. Third, I hope you enjoy this :)**

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA :(

Big thanks to every one who reviewed last year :D You're really the best!!!

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To Central

I awoke the next morning with the covers pulled up to my neck and Roy's arm around my waist. I groggily opened my eyes and looked around the sunlit room wondering what time it was. I looked round at Roy who was snoozing beside me. I looked past him at the clock on the bedside table. It was almost eight.

I kicked Roy as I scrambled to get into some clothes. He stirred momentarily to move. Something caught my eye on the bed. Blood. I looked around and then down at my scar. I looked like it had been bleeding during the night. Damn, more things to do before I could leave. Roy must have also noted the blood because he was suddenly sitting upright looking worriedly towards me.

"Are you OK?" he asked.

"No," I replied. His face fell and he rushed forwards to get to me. "We're going to be late come on."

He fell off the bed in a comical fashion. Quick as a flash he was up on his feet, holding the covers round his waist with a pained expression on his face.

"That's it?" he asked, "I thought you were going to be in incredible pain or something."

"Why should I be?" I asked, pulling a high neck shirt over my head. Roy looked at me weirdly. He shook his head and went to retrieve his clothes of off the floor. "Have you packed everything?"

"No I decided to be totally unprepared and leave everything until this morning," was his rather sarcastic reply. "Have you?"

"I just need to pack a few things," I admitted, but they were toiletries that I used every day so I couldn't pack them away. Suddenly Roy's arms were around me. His kissed the back of my neck.

"I'll be ready in five minutes," he said, "I'll meet you in the hall, OK?"

"OK," I replied. He planted a kiss on my cheek and rushed out of the room silently. I smiled as I heard my grandfather's cheery good morning to him a few seconds later. I dashed around the room making sure I had everything I needed for the trip. I found I had packed everything that was necessary.

There was a knock at the door. As I turned round, my Grandfather stepped into the room with a grin plastered across his face.

"You are up?" he asked. I nodded. His eyes wondered towards the unmade bed and to the blood on the sheets. "Your scar bleeding?"

"A little," I replied, half wondering why he was only using three word sentences.

"You and Roy?" he asked. I frowned.

"Grandfather," I snapped, "I'm very busy at the minute."

That was the answer he wanted. He danced on the spot like a mad man. I turned back to my packing. I closed the suitcase and zipped it up.

"So when will we be expected to go to Central for the wedding?" he asked. I sighed loudly.

"Who says there's going to be a wedding?" I asked. His face fell slightly.

"You mean, you're not going to get married and get Kit back?" he asked. I turned back to him, frowning deeply.

"I don't know yet," I replied, "I have to go to Central and tell Personnel that I will be no longer working in the military. I then have to get a wedding permit and sit through a trial to see if I can actually get married or if Roy will get shot for fooling around with me before we decided to get married."

I sighed deeply.

"Roy's probably going to die," I muttered.

"Why should he?" my Grandfather asked, "I never saw you two together apart from when you were looking after the baby. Rebecca would agree and so would your doctor and Mustang's subordinate. All he wants to do is look after his baby and the mother of his baby. I doubt he loves you and I am strongly against this whole thing, but if it means you get your baby back then I have to believe you know what you are doing."

"Grandfather?" I asked, suddenly very confused. It took a few minutes for everything to click into place. Finally I smiled at him and threw my arms round his neck. "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked, "It's my duty to tell the truth."

"Of course," I replied, releasing him from my hug and taking a few steps back.

"Now hurry up or you'll miss your train," he said, "As much as I want you to."

He left the room without another word. I smiled as I pulled the suitcase off of the bed and trailed it into the hallway.

I walked down the hall and then down the stairs into the entrance hall where the house staff and my grandparents were waiting. My Grandmother was crying again but no body seemed to care.

"My baby," she cried as I walked towards them, "I can't believe your going again."

"Grandmother," I moaned, "I'll be back in a few weeks."

"But it's still a long time," she wailed, "First Kit, now you and Roy. I can hardly deal with it."

"Grandmother," I said, a vein in my temple throbbing suddenly, "I'll be back in a few weeks or maybe you could come to Central."

"Central?" my Grandmother asked, her tone suddenly changing, "That would be delightful, darling."

I saw my Grandfather shake his head. My Grandmother had the uncanny ability to make people do exactly what she wanted without even hinting to what she wanted. I just had walked into her trap. I suddenly realised that my Grandmother was a very dangerous woman.

"What's going on?" Roy asked as he dragged his suitcase behind him.

"Riza's invited me to Central," my Grandmother replied happily, "I can't wait to visit."

Roy looked at me waiting for some explanation, but I only shrugged at him. Roy had donned his military uniform. I looked at him weirdly, trying to figure how long it had been since I had seen him in it. He put his suitcase down on the floor and gave a crisp salute to my Grandfather.

"I am sorry I've taken up so much of your time, sir," Roy said, "I thank you for your hospitality."

"Not at all," Grandfather said kindly, "It's the least I could do for someone who's helped me out of trouble and looked after my granddaughter so well. Please, take good care of her in Central."

"You don't need to ask," Roy replied, "It would be my honour."

"Oh and please, Mustang," my grandfather said, "Please don't get too annoyed with what I may have to do in future weeks."

Roy gave him another salute, looking slightly confused. He turned to my grandmother and in true Roy fashion kissed her hand.

"Thank you for having me," he said softly. My grandmother smiled at him.

"Thank you for bringing her home," she replied. My grandfather took a step closer to me so he could whisper something in my ear.

"Beware of the Fuhrer, Riza," he muttered, "Who knows what he could make you do."

I nodded as he pulled away.

"Thank you, grandfather," I said. He held my hand in his for a second.

"I will miss you," he said, "I will, really. I'm sad to see another one of my girls leave this house to run off with some man, but this time I've got a good feeling about this one."

"How's that?" I asked. My grandfather grinned and pointed to his shoulder where his General's Star was sat in its usual place.

"Because I have absolute power of this one," he replied with a flash in his eyes. Roy moved uncomfortably on the spot for a second before picking up his bag and mine.

"Come on or we'll miss our train," he said. I nodded and followed him out of the door. There was a military car waiting for us in the drive. I turned round to wave to my grandparents. My grandmother waved back, fresh tears streaming down her face. I sighed as I climbed into the car. Roy glanced at me as he settled himself in his seat.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded.

"Fine," I replied, "Just tired, I guess."

Roy smirked and signalled for the driver to start for the station. I waved at my grandparents until the front door was out of view. I was going to miss them even if they were a pair of crazy old people. Roy watched me the entire time until we got to the train station. I was expecting him to ask me if I wanted to go back with the driver or I had changed my mind, but then again, he probably anticipated my answer and left me to it.

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Please review if you like or you dont like. Updating may be slow in the next few days due to Uni stuff but I should be updating some of my other fics soon. RSx


	26. Not Only Bullets Fly

**Sorry for the long wait :( since coming off of holiday I've had exams and then writers block :( Anyway I've managed to string together so I hope you like it!**

**I don't own FMA.**

**Not Only Bullets Fly**

The train ride to Central was long. I had forgotten how long it took on the train although this was the fastest way to get there. Roy and I shared a booth. I found it weird to be travelling out in open like we were but Roy seemed totally relaxed. The other passengers were wary of him because he was wearing his uniform but none of them bothered us, not even the children. A few of them kept giving me funny looks like I was some prisoner or something that had a military escort. I sighed loudly as a tough looking man walked past us, eyeing my carefully. Roy glanced up from a report he had been reading.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"People keep giving us looks," I replied. Roy pulled a face.

"Since when do you care what other people think?" he asked. It was true I have never really cared what other people thought but it was annoying being stared at. Roy shook his head. He unbuttoned his jacket and took it off.

"Is that better?" he asked, smirking at me.

"Isn't that against regulations?" I asked.

"You still care about regulations?"

"You obviously don't," I replied. Roy laughed making a few people round turn to look at us.

"Take it easy, Riza," he said, "It's not like this is a mission or anything."

"I don't know," I replied, keeping my face as neutral as I could, "Life with you is probably going to be hardest mission I've ever had."

The smirk suddenly vanished from his face and was replaced by a frown. I paid no attention to him and turned to look out of the window. I could see his face in the reflection in the window. He looked almost comical as he opened and closed his mouth several times to retort but in the end he returned to his report. After a few minutes I turned back to him. He glanced up once more.

"You really mean that?" he asked.

"No, I'm sure it won't be that bad," I replied but he shook his head.

"Not that," he said, "You're going to stay with me?"

"Why else would I be going to Central?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He smiled as he went back to reading his report. I was surprised by his reaction. He might be an alchemist, a brilliant one at that, but sometimes he was so dense I could hardly believe he could look after himself. I sighed quietly. I looked over him once more. This was my future: sitting and watching him. I was not going to enjoy this one bit.

***

Once at Central, several hours later, we made our way towards Military headquarters. Nothing had changed since I had been stationed there a few years ago just after the war. I walked beside Roy as we walked through the tidy halls. To my surprise there weren't many people outside their offices but whenever we passed someone they would offer Roy a salute while looking at me weirdly.

We didn't bump into any trouble until we turned a corner and came across General Raven.

"Colonel Mustang," he bellowed in his usual cheery tone, "I wondered when you'd return."

Roy snapped a salute and quickly replied: "Gruman refused to let me go until his granddaughter was feeling better."

"Gruman is like that," Raven agreed. He looked oddly at me before extending his hand for me to shake. "I'm General Raven, but you may call me Franklin."

"Oh, thank you," I said uneasily as he took my hand and kissed it gently.

"This is Riza Hawkeye, sir," Roy introduced casually, making Raven shoot him a surprised look.

"First Lieutenant Hawkeye?" Raven asked. He looked at me then back at Roy. "I didn't recognise her. Her hair is so much longer."

He slowly let go of my hand but he was smiling at me. He brushed my cheek with the back of his hand. I suppressed a shudder as he did.

"I am sure the Fuhrer will be glad to hear you're looking so well, Miss Hawkeye," Raven said. I nodded and forced a smile.

"And how is the Fuhrer himself?" I asked, feigning interest, "I've been away from the news for quite a while. I hope he's well."

"He is very well," Raven replied, with a large toothy smile. "Well, I hope the Colonel is treating you well. When will you be rejoining us?"

"I am afraid I'm not, sir," I replied, glancing at Roy, "Since I am unable to look after my son on my own, the Colonel has offered to lend me a hand since it is his son too."

"Taking responsibility, eh, Mustang?" Raven asked with a bellowing laugh at the end. Roy looked at me and then at Raven.

"You think Gruman would let me live if I didn't?" I heard him ask somewhat bitterly. I shot him a glance. Raven stopped laughing to looked between us. Roy broke our eye contact and saluted the General. "I'm sorry, sir, but we should get moving."

"Of course," Raven said, "It's been a pleasure seeing you again, Miss Hawkeye."

"Thank you, sir," I replied. Roy took a few steps down the corridor. I followed him, eager to get away from the General. The moment the General was out of earshot Roy turned to me.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. I nodded.

"I know, I know," I replied just as quietly, "If they think we're just doing this for Kit then they'll probably allow it."

He nodded. He relaxed slightly, obviously upset that he had to lie like that in front of Raven. I looked behind me to see if Raven was following but he wasn't anywhere in view.

"I hope he doesn't ask me to dinner," I muttered. Roy coughed loudly before spinning round to look at me.

"What's that?" he asked. I smirked.

"Seeing as we're doing this for Kit he might see this as an opportunity to get an insight into your life," I said. Roy scowled. I walked past him, gently brushing against his arm. "Don't get jealous."

He didn't reply. He hung his head in a sort of defeated way that made me feel quite sorry for him. We walked down the corridor past two more doors before he stopped and opened a door. He straightened up as he entered the office. I followed him and carefully looked round the room.

There were six desks in a group in the centre of the room with a seventh near the window. Five of the grouped desks were occupied. Havoc was sat with his feet on the desk whilst reading a magazine and smoking a cigarette. Fuery was twiddling with a radio. Falman was flicking through several reports. Breda was eating a large sandwich. The fifth man I didn't recognise but he was sorting through a stack of papers. However they all looked up as Mustang walked across the room towards the desk near the window. I closed the door behind me and stood looking around at the mess of the office.

"Hey, Chief," Havoc said, "We didn't expect you for another few days."

"Well, I had to return sometime this week," Roy replied, "Look at the state of this place. What have you been doing in here?"

"Working, sir," Falman replied.

"Trying to," the fifth man said. Suddenly all of their eyes turned onto me and their jaws dropped. Havoc's cigarette fell out of his mouth and rolled under the table. Breda's sandwich slipped from his grasp and landed with a thud on his desk. Everyone else froze. Roy looked up.

"What's wrong?" he snapped. The five men turned their heads like robots to look at Roy. They were silent for a few minutes until they all got off their seats and rushed over Roy's desk.

"What are you thinking!" Havoc roared, "You've seriously done this?"

"Done what?" Roy asked, confused.

"You've brought another one of your bimbos to work after what you've put Hawkeye through?" Havoc yelled.

"How cruel," Fuery added.

"You're definitely not the man we used to admire," Falman said.

"Hawkeye's not just a toy of yours, _sir_," Breda snipped. I sighed feeling my shoulders sag. The door opened and George stepped into the room, holding a folder of work. She looked at me and then at the crowd of men round Roy's desk. Her gaze returned to me.

"How are you?" she asked calmly.

"I'm starting to regret coming here," I admitted. George laughed quietly.

"What are they doing?" she asked, pointing at the guys.

"I don't know," I replied, "They think I'm one of Roy's bimbos."

"They don't know you're you?" George asked. I nodded. "Idiots."

I noticed that she reached for her belt where there were five or six small daggers in small holsters. She took one out of its holster as she walked towards the desk.

"Alright," she snapped. The guys didn't hear her because they were still yelling loudly at Mustang who was yelling back at them. I sighed. I walked over to the nearest desk. I went in the desk drawer and pulled out a gun. I looked at it for a second or two, contemplating whether I should use this or not seeing as I hadn't practiced for months. I aimed for the wall away from the guys and George before I pulled the trigger.

There was instant silence as everybody looked at me.

"They do respond to that sort of thing, George," I said, "It's better than shouting and gets the message across a whole lot faster."

"I'll bear that in mind," she replied quietly.

"You mean… she's Hawkeye?" Havoc asked.

"Who else would she be?" Roy snapped.

"But where's the baby?" Fuery asked. Everyone fell into a deeper state of quiet, even George looked worried.

"He's in care at the minute," Roy replied, "Until R-Hawkeye gets married she won't be able to keep him."

"You had a boy?" Falman asked.

"Doesn't matter about that, Falman. You're getting married?" Havoc asked.

"Who's the lucky guy?" Fuery asked.

"Or haven't you found someone yet?" asked Breda. George snorted suddenly causing all attention to turn to her. She had one hand over her mouth and the other was clutching her sides like she was in a fit of silent giggles.

"What's so funny," the fifth man asked. George erupted into giggles, now pointing at Roy.

"Your face, Colonel," she spluttered, "It was like you were going to murder all four of them then."

"There's still time for that," Roy muttered. George went back to her laughing fit. I couldn't help but smile at the young woman as she collapsed into a heap on the floor. "Although you're number one on my list at the minute."

"Bite me," she laughed. She suddenly sat up a with her legs crossed. "You guys don't get it do you?"

"Get what?" asked Havoc.

"Riza's going to marry the Colonel," George explained.

"WHA!" the guys chorused, turning on Roy once again. Roy put his hand up to his temple. Amidst the guys' shouting, George jumped up and walked over to me. She offered me her hand.

"Congratulations," she said, "I'm really happy for you."

"Well," I said, looking at Roy and the guys, "I'm not sure tonight's going to be that fun."

"You want to show me that trick with the gun again?" George asked, with an evil glint in her eye. I grinned. I pointed the gun, this time towards the group of squabbling men and gently squeezed the trigger.

**The Next Chapter will be up whenever I get round to writing it which should be soon enough :) until then don't forget to click on the nice green button and leave me a nice review or a not so nice review if you thought this was terrible. Reviews are appriciated.**


	27. George's Hospitality

**Sorry for the super long wait but this has been the first week in ages that I've actually had the time to sit down and write this up. Luckily my writer's block will stay away for the next couple of weeks :)**

**I don't own FMA.**

**George's Hospitality**

George walked me to the front of the building with a huge grin on her face. She was walking in a sort of relaxed manner with her hands behind her back. I glanced across at her wondering what she was so happy about. She caught me looking at her and she returned my gaze, looking straight into my eyes.

After a moment or two of looking into her eyes I could see that she was almost trying to tell me something with her eyes.

"So you're really going to marry Mustang?" she asked. I nodded.

"But we're only doing it for Kit," I replied, earning me a confused look from her, "I mean every alchemist wants to leave behind a legacy and they can't do that by being secretive. And I want my son back. I can't stand not having him in my arms."

"I see," George said, raising an eyebrow, "At least, I think I understand."

"You don't think I'm doing this for the wrong reason, do you?" I asked, faking an upset tone. George folded her arms and scowled.

"Normally I would say you shouldn't marry someone unless you love them, but," George replied with a pause, "In this case, with Kit in the picture, I would say that it is the right thing to do."

"Thank you, George," I said. George looked away from me for a minute or two as if she was trying to figure out what I was going on about. As we walked towards the city centre I could see that she had worked out what I was getting at.

"Where are you staying until Mustang has all this sorted?" she asked, "I mean… It's not right that you two should be left alone together until you're married. Who knows, maybe you'll get fed up of him before the wedding and kill him and then you'll have to start all over again."

"That's true," I replied, "Although I am used to him being around. He and I have been living together for a while."

"With Fritz," George added, "I insist that you stay with me."

"Really, I'm sure-"

"No," George snapped. She inhaled deeply. "Come off it, Riza, you want so desperately to get Kit back that he could, you know."

"What?"

"He could take advantage of the situation," George explained knowingly, "Before hand he had people around him to keep him in check but once no one's there he'll be making suggestions. It's like Miles up North. When Armstrong was away, Miles always took over in a certain way that made us cringe."

"How was that then?" I asked.

"He was actually a lot less mean than her," George replied, "Allowed us to get away with stuff. But what I mean is, that a man's temperament comes out when no one's there to question him so in that case you're staying with me until you're married and can threaten him with divorce and a hefty alimony settlement."

"If you say so," I said. George peered behind her and then looked back at me.

"Looks like we're finally alone," she whispered. I smiled.

***

"You're staying with George?" Roy asked me as we sat down for dinner that night. George had invited us to her apartment for dinner since Roy had let her out early to look after me.

"Is that a problem?" she asked. Roy shrugged.

"It would be better, I suppose," he replied, "It'll make the higher ups think we aren't on good terms."

"Which means?" George asked as she sat in her chair at the table.

"They'll believe the story we're giving them," Roy replied. He sighed loudly while tapping the table with his fingers. I smiled across at him.

"The sooner we get married the better," I said. Roy nodded.

We ate dinner in silence. George kept giving us side glances which Roy was blatantly ignoring. Every now and again George's and my eyes would meet but we remained silent. Roy was obviously thinking about something and George had to get use to these long periods of silence while he mulled over things in his head. He was finally pulled out of his thoughts by the door bell. George rose from her seat and quickly dashed towards the door to see who it was. I heard her unlock the door.

"What do you want?" she snapped at who ever it was.

"What?" came the reply, which sounded like Havoc, "You told me to bring these over to you later. Jeez, George, chill out."

"Alright, come in," she said. I heard her close the door and two pairs of feet walk back towards the kitchen. Havoc froze as he saw both Roy and I sat at the table.

"Oh, hey boss, Hawkeye," he said. He rubbed the back of his head while staring at George as if to ask why she hadn't told him she had guests. She ignored him and sat down in her chair. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you two doing here?"

"Riza's staying with George until we can get married," Roy explained, "For some reason George doesn't trust me to look after Riza. Do you have anything to do with this?"

"Me?" Havoc asked, "Why should I have anything to do with this?"

"Cos you repeatedly have different girl friends every week cos you constantly break their hearts by screwing things up," George replied.

"Are you saying it is my fault?" Havoc snapped.

"I didn't say that," George snapped back. The two of them started to bicker amongst themselves about something I wasn't sure about. Roy looked at me and I shrugged in reply.

"Why are you here, Havoc?" Roy asked, raising his voice a little to make himself heard. Both of them fell silent, even George looked curious at the answer. Havoc held up a file in his hand.

"George wanted this to look over," he replied.

"George?" Mustang asked with a grin.

"Churchill," Havoc corrected himself.

"It's outside office hours, sir," George said to Roy, "He could call me Frooloo for all I care. Give them here, Jean."

Havoc handed her the file but still continued to watch Roy like Roy was scrutinising him. George was flicking though the file as if nothing unusual was happening. I went back to eating my dinner trying to ignore the tension I could feel. After a while Roy looked away from Havoc and turned to me.

"Are you sure you'll be alright here?" he asked.

"Yes," I snapped.

"Even if Havoc knows where you live?" he asked with a smirk. I glanced up at him and sighed.

"I suppose it will have to do," I replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Havoc yelled.

"Ssh!" George hissed.

"You didn't know where I lived before and since George isn't allowed pets in this building I haven't got Hayate to look out for me," I explained. Roy burst into laughter. George turned her hazel eyes onto him, scowling as she did so. Havoc looked like he was going to burst into tears but I didn't care. Roy continued to laugh until Havoc finally admitted defeat and through himself on to a chair and started to sulk.

"Why are you so mean?" he asked.

"You've missed six months of me being there," I replied, "I assure you that I haven't got meaner, you've just got out of practice of me being mean to you."

"That is true," Roy agreed, "She's still our Hawkeye."

"She won't be for much longer," George said, "Soon she'll be Mrs Mustang and then she'll be yours, not ours."

The table fell silent. George looked up and around at us.

"Jeez," she said, "I didn't mean for it to be that depressing."

***

George said goodnight to Havoc in the hallway, acting as if she was hurrying him out. Roy was putting on his coat in the kitchen with me helping him.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" he asked.

"Yes, Roy," I replied, "George will take good care of me. You've got to let it go. You can't always be this protective of me."

"Sorry," he muttered, "I've sort of gotten used to getting away with it."

He turned to me and put his hands on my shoulders.

"Take care," he said, "George has keys to my apartment so feel free to go and get Hayate."

"I will," I replied. He bent his head to kiss me but a noise in the hall made both of us look towards the door.

"You're a pervert, Jean Havoc," we heard George snap. Roy cautiously walked to the door and quickly gestured for me to follow him. George was slapping Havoc with the file he had brought and the chain smoker couldn't do anything but put his arms in front of his eyes to stop her hurting him.

"At ease," Roy said with a chuckle, "Pay him back tomorrow, Churchill."

"Sir," George said with a small salute. Havoc looked gratefully at Roy as he opened the door.

"I'll pop round tomorrow to give you an update," Roy said to me. I nodded. He smiled at me. "Take care."

"I will," I said, "Havoc?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure he gets home alright," I ordered. Havoc nodded and they both left the apartment, closing the door behind them. As soon as the door was closed I turned to George.

"So what's with you and Havoc?" I asked. George looked at me and shrugged.

"Hell if I know," she replied. She walked back towards the kitchen. I followed her hoping for her to elaborate.

"Do all the guys call you George?" I asked. George frowned at me.

"Just Mustang and Jean," she replied, "The others don't like me much but Jean's sympathetic to me, I guess."

"Why don't the others like you?" I asked as she started to clear the table. She chuckled darkly to herself.

"Because I'm from Briggs," she explained, "They think Armstrong's sent me to kill Mustang in his sleep, but Jean trusts me, on a certain level."

"A certain level?" I pressed. George nodded.

"Yeah," she replied, "He invites me out drinking, which is another reason why they hate me."

She looked at me with a smile on her face. I gave her a searching look.

"I can handle my drink a whole lot better than they can," she elaborated.

I nodded: "So you didn't sleep with any of them?"

"No but my ultimate crime is that I've taken over your job," she replied, "Those guys love you a whole lot, believe it or not."

I smiled at her as she returned to her cleaning.

"Do you want me to help?" I asked. She turned to me and smiled widely at me.

**I have the next chapter typed and ready to upload so there's no excuse for me not to update soon :) please press the nice review button at the bottom here to tell me what you think, if you have the time of course :) RSx**


	28. Men and Women

**Woo! I've finally got round to writing Kit coming back, unfortunately it's not this chapter :P Yeah, I know I'm mean :) It may be Kit-less but I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, but I do own Georgiana Churchill.**

**Men and Women**

I stirred somewhat groggily the next morning. I could hear George busying around her apartment, sometimes swearing in Drachmarian after there was a loud noise. I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, taking note of the small bedroom I was in. I glanced around at the walls noticing a large landscape picture on the wall opposite the bed. I leaned closer. It was a snowy picture with a tall white mountain, some emerald fir trees and some sort of animal in the vast icy plains. Around the picture were other photo frames with pictures of George and other people clad in the Military Uniform. I smiled at them.

I slowly climbed out of bed and walked towards the door, opening it and peering out to see if George was in sight. She was in the kitchen. I walked almost cautiously towards the room and silently sat myself down on a chair. I watched her glide around the room like I wasn't even there, but she laid out two bowls and two mugs on the side.

"Muesli or corn flakes?" she asked.

"Muesli," I replied. She opened a cupboard and pulled out a plastic box half filled with Muesli.

"So what are your plans for the day?" she asked, "Are you going over to Mustang's to see Hayate?"

"Probably," I replied honestly. George poured herself a little Muesli in a bowl and then handed me both a bowl and the box. While I sprinkled some muesli into the bowl she walked over to the fridge to retrieve the milk. We sat in silence while we ate. Something told me that George wasn't used to people staying with her. She seemed to be behaving somewhat awkwardly. She ate slowly, her eyes never leaving me. "Erm.. Do you keep in touch with people from the Briggs?"

"Nope," George replied brightly, "See I'm deemed a traitor for leaving my job to come and work in Central. I couldn't exactly say no either. Fuhrer's orders and all."

"Do you have any friends here?" I asked. She shook her head solemnly. I sighed. "Well, I guess that will have to change."

"I don't mind," George said airily, "It gives me time to do stuff that I really want to do."

"That's exactly what I used to be like," I sighed. George laughed.

"No I mean it," she said, "It may not look it but I have one of the most time consuming hobbies in the world."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"All the artwork you see here is my own," George replied, pointing round at the wall where a large painting of rose beside the fridge. I nodded at her and looked around the kitchen at various other flower paintings on the wall. George rose from her chair suddenly, making the chair scrape on the tiled floor. "Well, I should be off."

She walked towards the kitchen door, placing her bowl in the sink as she went. I got up and walked her to the door.

"Feel free to go out as long as you're back before ten tonight," she ordered.

"Why ten?" I asked.

"Because, I don't like the idea of you walking home any later," she replied with a shrug, "If you're staying out then phone me."

"OK," I said, feeling like a teenager living with my father. George laughed loudly as my expression fell.

"Sorry," she said, "Have a good day."

"And you," I replied, "Make sure you prod my fiancé a few times to get him working."

"Roger," George said with a mock salute before closing the door. I sighed to myself before walking back to my bedroom to get washed and dressed so that I could take Hayate for a walk.

***

"I couldn't care less!" I heard George roar from outside the door. I cringed as I heard the door unlock and it be pushed open with such force it hit the wall. "He's a creepy, creepy man."

"You'd say that about any guy though, wouldn't you?" came Havoc's voice. I peered out of the kitchen to watch the two of them talking. Havoc had his usual cigarette in his mouth. He was holding the door open while George took her boots off. "What did he say to you that made you flip anyway?"

"He was badgering me for my address," George snapped, "It was a totally unhealthy lust for my address."

"Lust for an address?" Havoc asked, raising an eyebrow, "I didn't know there was such a thing."

"Oh screw you," George retorted, "Hey Riza."

Havoc looked towards me and smiled.

"How's it going, Hawkeye?" he asked.

"It's good thank you," I replied, woodenly, "Are you staying for dinner?"

"No, thanks," Havoc said, "I live two floors up so it's not like I'm going back across town or anything."

"In that case then," I said, "Go and change and be back here in fifteen minutes."

"Are you sure?" Havoc asked, although this question was directed more at George than me. George eyed me cautiously but nodded her consent at Havoc.

"See you in fifteen then," Havoc said, closing the door quietly. George walked towards me.

"What are you up to?" she asked with a sly smile.

"Helping you make friends," I replied, "No go and get changed into something you."

"Me?" she asked like I had told her to do something impossible. She stood confused for a minute before going towards her room. I smiled to myself as I returned to cooking dinner. After a few minutes I heard a knock at the door. I went to answer it, peeking through the peep hole before putting my hand on the handle. I could see Roy with someone else behind him. I opened the door and sighed as I realised it was only Havoc dressed in civilian clothes.

"Evening," Roy greeted, giving me a quick peck on the cheek as he brushed past me.

"How was your day?" I asked. Roy shrugged as he took off his military jacket and hung it up.

"Busy," he replied. Havoc waltzed into the apartment, looking round like it was somewhere he'd never been before. I closed the door behind him.

"I imagined George's place to be totally Briggs standard," he muttered.

"So did I," Roy agreed quietly, "With a shrine to Armstrong in the living room."

They both laughed at each other like a couple of teens. I rubbed my head.

"What are you two laughing about?" I heard her voice from her bedroom. I turned my head to look at her in her doorway wearing a strange concoction. Her hair was up, like usual, with a few strands loose around her face. She was wearing a orange and navy checked shirt with a black tank top underneath. She was also wearing a short denim skirt with what looked like tight black trousers underneath. She raised an eyebrow at Havoc and Roy as their mouths dropped open. "What?"

"Since when do you wear… normal clothes?" Havoc asked, pointing at her little ensemble. She looked down at herself then back to him. She scowled at him before walking into the kitchen. I went to follow her but Havoc caught my arm lightly.

"You're not trying to set us up are?" he whispered.

"No," I snapped, causing Roy to turn round and look at us, "I'm trying to help her make new friends."

"Oh," he murmured as I pulled my arm from his grasp and continued my way to the kitchen. Roy followed me with Havoc shortly behind him. They both sat in two separate chairs, Roy's eyes on me while Havoc stared at George.

"So what did you do today"? Roy asked me as Havoc started to talk to George.

"I took Hayate for a walk round town," I replied, "I bumped into a few officers along the way, including Major Armstrong. He seems well."

"He didn't try to kill you, did he?" Roy asked, amused by my story.

"No," I replied, "He was with Maria Ross so she kept him in line."

"Well that's good," Roy said with a grin.

"NO WAY!" Havoc yelled. Both Roy and I turned to Havoc and George. "We were practically neighbours! Hey, Colonel, George comes from the town next to my home town!"

"No need to yell," Roy retorted. Havoc laughed loudly, causing Roy to cringe. "I never knew you came from the East."

George nodded: "My family still lives there. It's only my brother and I who left to go to the Briggs."

"You have a brother?" Havoc asked, rubbing his chin, "Older or younger than yourself?"

"Older. Joined the academy around the time you did, actually," George replied. Havoc looked at her weirdly for a moment or two before pointing at her.

"Bulldog*?" he asked. George frowned and nodded. "You're Bulldog's sister?"

"Yep," George said.

"And you never said anything?" Havoc said, raising his voice slightly, "We were like the best friends in the Academy."

"Ever notice how I called you Jean even when you'd only been introduced to me as Havoc?" she asked. Havoc grinned.

***

I walked into the City the next day with Hayate at my heel. I had been shopping for a few things that Roy had needed. I didn't mind running the errand for him, in fact I was happy that I had something useful to do. I was walking close to the shops when I saw George with another guy beside her. They were wearing the Military uniform. He looked like a clown with long blonde bangs and cropped hair. Nonetheless I walked towards them. George immediately spotted me and Hayate.

"Hey, Riza," she greeted, "Mustang got you running around for him already?"

"I don't mind," I replied as she bent down to give Hayate an affectionate scratch under his chin. "What has he got you doing?"

"I'm showing Major Haig** around Central," she said, pointing towards the man beside her. "He's a State Alchemist and new to the area."

"Nice to meet you, miss?" Major Haig said, offering me his hand.

"Miss Hawkeye," I replied. I raised my hand to shake his but he caught it and raised it to his lips. I felt myself tense as his lips brushed against my skin. His blue eyes stayed glued to my face.

"You're a very beautiful woman, Miss Hawkeye," he said, releasing my hand. I pulled it away from him quickly.

"Why thank you," I said, growing slightly worried.

"Miss Hawkeye is engaged to Colonel Mustang," George said in a matter or fact tone. Major Haig sighed loudly, his shoulders sagging visibly.

"What a shame," he said loftily, "Another beautiful woman off the market. Yesterday you, today Miss Hawkeye."

"You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend," I said, turning my eyes onto George.

"It's not official yet," she said in a tone that warned me to play along.

"Oh," I said, "You mean that guy who walked you home the other night? What was his name? John***?"

"That's him," George agreed quickly with a nod before looking confused. She looked at Haig with a smile. "Should we get going?"

"It was a pleasure, Miss Hawkeye," Haig said, "I hope I will see you again."

"I hope so to," I lied. George quickly walked on, prompting Haig to follow her. I watched them go, waving at Haig when he turned round.

"I hope I never see him again, Hayate," I said to the dog. The dog barked in agreement. "He's a little creepy…"

* * *

* For the British readers: This has nothing to do with the car insurance adverts.

** Another British General from WW1.

*** John is the English variation of Jean.

**Kit will return in 2 chapters time so if you want me to update soon, just click the button, yes you know which one :P Anyway, thanks for readinf :)**

**RSx**


	29. The Attack

**First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Easter, but that has nothing to do with me uploading... I got bored of doing my politics essay T_T I've being doing it for a week now and I'm still 500 words off. Ah well. Hope you enjoy this chapter :D**

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA... I've said that many times and it's not going to change any time soon. I am a poor English student so unless Hell freezes over I won't own FMA... ever...

**The Attack**

The next few days passed without any real interest. Havoc would walk George home every night and Roy would arrive half an hour later. Normally Havoc wouldn't stay, he'd have something else to do. It looked like he had a new girlfriend which meant he would leave in a hurry some nights. George took delight in taunting him about having a 'serious, one week old relationship', to which he'd get flustered about and end up storming off. Apart from the usual walking Hayate during the day and the dinner with George and Roy, nothing seemed to be going on.

A week after my arrival in Central I got a knock at the door. It was around four o clock in the afternoon and I had just started to cook dinner for George and Roy when I heard someone at the door. I calmly went to answer it, looking through the peep hole before putting my hand on the handle. Outside was Major Haig wearing his uniform. I took a deep sigh before opening the door. He greeted me with a warm smile.

"Hello, Miss Hawkeye," he said, "How are you doing?"

"I'm very well, thank you, Major," I replied politely, "Is there anything you need?"

"I am looking for Lieutenant Churchill," he explained, "She told me to meet her here so she could run over a case she was over looking up at Briggs."

I nodded and moved to one side to let him enter the apartment. He strode into the hallway and looked around at the décor before walking through to the kitchen. I followed him, unnerved by his presence.

"George won't be back until later," I said, "But I'm sure she'll be here soon."

"She's a very busy woman," Haig agreed, "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all," I said, "I was making dinner."

"Please don't let me interrupt you," he said. I went back to preparing the stew I had been making. I felt Haig's eyes on my back all the time but I pretended not to notice.

"Those paintings are beautiful," he said after a while, startling me slightly. I hadn't noticed he'd got out of his chair and was admiring the rose painting next to the fridge.

"George painted them," I told him. He nodded a few times.

"She's very talented," he muttered.

"There's a beautiful one in the guest room," I said, "It's a snowy landscape."

"Do you mind?" he said pointing towards the hallway.

"Go ahead," I replied, "The second door on the left."

He disappeared. I heard him say a few things but I didn't really pay much attention. I was busy peeling a few potatoes to notice what he was doing. After I had finished cutting the potatoes into smaller pieces I turned round to find he hadn't returned into the kitchen.

"Major?" I asked. I walked out of the kitchen to see if I could see him. He wasn't in the living room so I walked towards the guest room. I peered in to see it looked empty. I took a few steps into the room to see if he was hiding. I heard the door slam behind me. I turned sharply to see Haig staring at me. I straightened myself up.

"What are you doing?" I asked, making my tone as authoritative as possible. He took a few steps towards me, I took a few back.

"You are a most beautiful woman," he said, "It's almost a shame that such a woman holds such a gift."

"What are you talking about?" I snapped. He pushed me backwards. Luckily for me the bed was within falling range and I fell lightly onto the mattress. He advanced towards me. I scrambled to get away, turning my back to him. He caught me easily and pulled my shirt from my skirt.

"Let go!" I yelled.

"Why is it always the pretty women who are tools of insane men?" he asked, like he wasn't hearing me. My eyes widened. He was after the transmutation circle on my back. I kicked at him but some how missed both his legs. He retaliated by pushing my shoulders into the mattress so hard that I couldn't move.

"Let me go!" I yelled once more, knowing it was falling on deaf ears. He ignored me again and made to unzip my skirt. I screamed as he did this, trying to alert people to help me. I felt him put his hand on the small of my back. I closed my eyes and buried my head in my arms. If he didn't kiss me then he couldn't activate the transmutation circle.

I was wrong. As I laid with my head buried in my arms he lowered his head and kissed my back.

"Such a shame you're a tool," he said. He moved his head down and licked the transmutation circle. I froze. Would that do it? No, it couldn't. He couldn't do this to me. How did he even know?

Before I could react he grabbed my shoulder and flipped me easily onto my back. He began unbuttoning my shirt as I lay frozen beneath him.

"I must admit I do rather enjoy the traditional way to conceive," he said, lowering his head to kiss my lips. The moment his lips touched mine I was pulled back to reality.

"Get off of me!" I shouted, my tone back to its usual authoritative nature. I began fighting him off but this only made him laugh.

"Squirming only makes it more enjoyable for me," he muttered in my ear.

"When Roy gets here, you are going to be fried in seconds," I hissed.

"But when will Roy get here?" he asked. I growled as his right hand started to crawl towards my skirt and began dragging it down.

"Ah!" he yelped suddenly. He went rigid and I was sprayed with blood. He jumped up and turned towards the door.

In all the commotion I hadn't heard George rush into the apartment. She was stood at the doorway with a few arrows in her hand. Havoc rushed behind her, his gun drawn.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Havoc yelled. I sat up and straightened my skirt.

"An experiment," Haig replied.

"Well, experiment this," George said throwing another arrow. Haig managed to dodge it and it became lodged in the wall. Havoc fired a few shots, missing him each time. Haig slumped against the wall, his shoulder was bleeding from George's first arrow. He pulled out a gun and fired it twice.

"Jean!"

Havoc fell backwards with the force of George pushing him away. Haig took the opportunity to flee the apartment. Havoc looked at me then at George. She was on the floor with two bullet wounds, one in her shoulder, the other in her leg. Her eyes were closed. I jumped from the bed to her side.

"Go after him," I ordered Havoc. Havoc nodded and sprinted out of the apartment after Haig.

I checked George's pulse and her breath. I sighed deeply in relief.

***

Roy wasn't in the best of moods when he arrived at the hospital some fifteen minutes later to find both Havoc and I sat in the emergency room with blood sprayed over us both and no Haig in sight. Havoc looked as though he was in total shock at the events. I was sat cuddling myself, almost instinctively. Roy looked from me to Havoc before sitting down between us.

"What happened?" he asked. I fidgeted slightly but I knew I had to tell him the truth.

"Haig got to the transmutation circle and activated it," I muttered. Roy looked sharply at me.

"George heard Hawkeye screaming and rushed to investigate," Havoc continued, "At least we managed to stop him from doing anything else to you."

"What do you mean, anything else?" Roy hissed. I avoided his gaze and Havoc shuffled uncomfortably when Roy shot him a look.

"He said he enjoyed the traditional way to conceive," I replied. Roy's expression changed suddenly from anger to concern to hurt. I stood up and faced him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so stupid to let him in."

Roy jumped up and rubbed my arms.

"Calm down," he said, "It's not your fault."

"Then whose is it?" I yelled, making most of the people in the emergency room look at me. Even Havoc glanced up before returning back into his shocked state. Roy gave me a look before pulling me into a tight embrace. "Now George is hurt."

"She's going to be fine," Roy said like it was nothing, "She's from Briggs. If that doesn't make you a fighter then nothing else does."

Havoc rose to his feet and walked towards the exit.

"I need a smoke," he said from the doorway without looking over at the two of us. Roy nodded anyway. He coaxed me back to the seat, gently holding me close to him. A thought occurred to me and I pushed Roy away from me. He looked at me with an expression of both worry and confusion.

"You don't need to do this," I said. He nodded and took my hand instead. We both looked up to see Havoc return holding his cigarettes in his hands. He threw them in a trash can and then dropped into a seat next to me. Neither I nor Roy decided to ask.

We sat there for an hour or two until Havoc told us to go home. He was going to wait for George to come out of surgery. He had decided that we were to go home so that Roy could look after me.

The moment we stepped into Roy's apartment I threw my arms round him.

"I'm sorry," I muttered into his chest. He wrapped his arms round me and held me tighter than he'd ever done before. We stood like that for what seemed like hours until Roy forced a gap between me and him so that he could bend down and pick me up.

"When you fall, I'll always be here to catch you," he said before carrying me down the hall to his bed room.

* * *

**Is it me or did that ending sound a little... soppy? Anyway. I'm thinking about updating tomorrow since it's a Bank Holiday over here in the sunny UK. Bank Holidays over here are notorious for chucking it down (raining) so I'll probably have time to update... After finishing my Politics Essay... grrr.... Yeah, I think I've eaten a little 2 much chocolate today (I gave it for lent so I'm not used to the sugar rush). Bye.**

**RSx**


	30. Recovery

**As promised yesterday, here's the next chapter XD. Hope you enjoy!!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA**

**Thank you to Techno (my sponsor) for giving this chapter a name :D**

**Recovery**

I woke up in the morning beside Roy. It felt like an eternity since I woke up beside him. He was already awake. He was staring across the room at the wall opposite while cradling me in his arms. He was still wearing his uniform due to the fact we'd been so tired from the day's events we'd both crawled into bed as we were and promptly fallen asleep. I watched him for a while until he glanced down at me.

"You're awake?" he asked. I nodded. He made no effort to get up. Instead he pulled me slightly tighter into him and kissed the top of my head. We stayed like this for most of the morning.

By ten o'clock Havoc had checked in with us. He was still at the hospital. George was out of surgery and was resting in a room. Havoc refused to leave her side and Roy wasn't forcing him to, yet. As far as Roy was concerned it was better for Havoc to wait with her until she woke up and he knew she would be OK. I felt a little guilty because I was preoccupied with my own problems. Roy was worried even if he didn't show it but he wasn't happy about it either. He wasn't sure if Haig had activated the Transmutation circle or not but he was worried if he had been successful. If so then it would be another nine months before out marriage was even considered.

In the afternoon Roy received a phone call from Breda telling him to go into headquarters although he didn't say why. I decided to go to see how George was doing and keep Havoc company.

Havoc was still in a sullen mood when I arrived in George's ward. He was staring at her in a way that reminded me of my father when he was reading an alchemy text. There was definitely the same glazed over look in his eyes. I walked into the room seemingly unnoticed until I sat down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Even though I startled him he made no show of it. His eyes slid onto me for a few fleeting seconds before flickering back to George.

"It's my fault," he muttered after a while, "If she hadn't jumped in front of me then it would've been me laid in that bed not her."

"And she would've been sat here wishing she'd done something," I said. He looked up at me. "She's got more chance of surviving this, you know. She's from Briggs and it takes a lot to kill someone from there."

"I suppose," Havoc replied, unconvinced. I turned to watch George. Havoc went back to watching her too with his sullen expression. Nothing else was said for a while. We sat for hours until her eyes flickered open and she groaned in pain. She was going to be alright. She didn't move, she wasn't stupid enough to try to sit up or move her body in any way. She did turn her neck to look at Havoc.

"Sorry," she said weakly, "You're a real hard man to push to the ground."

At first I thought Havoc was going to burst into tears but he began laughing loudly at her.

"I'm glad you're awake, now I can stop with this guilt trip," he remarked. She scowled at him.

"Did you spend all night here?" she asked.

"Yeah," Havoc replied, "Why?"

"You had a date last night," she told him. I watched the horror dawn in his face. He ran out of the room without another word. I stood up so that George could see me better.

"Are you alright?" she asked, "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"I don't know, yet," I replied honestly. With that her face fell. She didn't say anything else until a quiet Havoc walked back into the room. Neither of us had the nerve to ask him what his girlfriend had said.

"How are you feeling?" Havoc said as he returned to his seat. George grimaced as she tried to sit herself up.

"Ouchie," she replied, "And a little like I'm on fire."

"Bullets tend to do that to you," I said, "At least you're feeling something. Sometimes bullets can sever nerve endings."

"Thanks," George snorted as she finally managed to get herself into a sitting position. "Remind me to thank Haig in person when I see him in prison."

"Er…" Havoc murmured, "About that."

George's eyes snapped onto Havoc. Give him his due he didn't falter under her icy glare. He gave a goofy grin and rubbed his head.

"You let him get away?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm. Havoc decided to keep quiet. The door creaked open and a nurse walked into the room. She blinked several times at George.

"You're awake?" the nurse asked, her voice sickly sweet, "But… you shouldn't be awake."

"Why not? Was I put down for being dead or something?" George asked sarcastically. The nurse pulled a face.

"I don't need you to be smart," she snapped, her voice going ever so slightly high pitched.

"George," I said as George opened her mouth to retort. She instantly closed it but continued to watch the nurse. The nurse picked up George's chart from the end of her bed and flicked through it.

"So, Lieutenant Churchill," the nurse said, reading from the chart, "Are you feeling any pain?"

"Now that you mention it I do feel a slight twinge," George replied sarcastically, "What the hell do you think? I've been shot you-"

"George," I snapped once more. George looked across at me.

"I was going to say moron," she said. I put my head in my hands and shook my head. Havoc was silently laughing at George, his body trembling slightly. The nurse clicked her tongue.

"Can you move your leg?" the nurse asked.

"Not if I can help it," George replied, "It'll hurt like hell."

"Move your leg, please," the nurse ordered. George smirked in a sort of evil way which made me lean across and grab her leg before she could kick towards the nurse. The nurse scowled at me. "If you're not going to take this seriously then I'm afraid I'll have to call security and have you two removed."

"That won't be necessary."

I peered round the nurse to see Roy walking through the doorway with Breda shortly behind him. The nurse instantly smiled at Roy and battered her eyelashes.

"Oh, Colonel," she said, her voice returning to its sickly sweet tone, "I'm sorry but the Lieutenant isn't co-operating."

"Hey, Breda," George said, "You know where the canteen is?"

"Sure," Breda replied.

"I'm dying for a sandwich," George said. She patted her side as if she was looking for her purse. She scowled. "Where's my stuff?"

"They are in storage," the nurse replied.

"Don't sweat," Havoc said, standing up, "Pay me back later."

He and Breda left the room, Havoc looking a little relieved to be getting out of the room. The nurse clicked her tongue once more.

"And I'm not sure why this woman is here," the nurse said, "Are you her mother?"

George opened her mouth to speak but fortunately Roy got there before her.

"She's not," Roy replied with a grin, "But she has been staying with my Lieutenant for the past week or so."

"Oh," the nurse said, "You must be a great superior officer to know so much about your subordinates, sir."

The nurse smiled at Roy, twisting her hair round her finger in an attempt to seem alluring. George rolled her eyes. She shuffled once more to get herself comfy, grimacing again.

"You were saying about me?" George asked. The nurse turned her head to George.

"I'll get you some tablets for the pain, shall I?" the nurse said in a dreamy sort of voice. I put my head in my hands again.

"If you don't mind," George replied. The nurse lingered for a moment before leaving the room for George's medicine. Roy walked to Havoc's chair and set himself down on it.

"I see you're doing fine," he said, amused by the whole conversation. George nodded. "When do you think you'll be able to get out of here?"

"Not long," George replied, "I hate hospitals and nurses. Why?"

"I'd rather you be at home than be out in the open with Riza," Roy explained. George nodded like she understood.

"I'm fine," I snapped, "I don't need to be babysat."

"I know," Roy said. He reached forwards and took my hands in his. "But until we know if Haig activated the transmutation circle or not I don't want you collapsing or being ill or shooting mirrors with no one around."

I frowned at the mention of shooting mirrors. George looked confused, trying to figure why someone would shoot a mirror but before she could ask the nurse returned with a few pills and a glass of water. George snatched the pills and swallowed them without any water. The nurse was shocked by George's actions. She turned to Roy with a smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, sir," she said, "But visiting times are over now. You will have to leave."

"I understand," Roy said, rising from his chair.

"What about Havoc with my sandwich?" George asked.

"Would it be OK for us to wait for the other two here?" I asked. The nurse nodded. She stayed on her spot, staring at Roy. Roy, however, seemed oblivious to her gaze because he was too busy asking George if she wanted him to contact any family members. At the very mention of her family, George seemed to pale quickly and she shook her head violently.

Within minutes Havoc and Breda returned with a couple of sandwiches, most of them belonging to Breda, and a small cupcake. Havoc placed a sandwich on George's bedside table along with the cupcake.

"Is that everything?" he asked. George gave him a small nod and offered him her thanks.

"I see you tomorrow," I told George. George nodded and put her thumb up at me.

"Get better soon," Breda chorused.

"I'll pop back later," Havoc said.

"OK," George said. Her eyes turned to Roy. "Take care, Mustang."

"I will, I will," he mumbled. We exited the room with the nurse following closely behind us. Havoc and Breda walked in front chatting about hospital food or something while I walked beside Roy, his hand on the small of my back.

"Excuse me," the nurse squeaked, "Who should I call if she needs any thing?"

Roy and I looked at each other. That was a good question. Neither Roy nor I knew anything substantial about George's health, Roy had known her for as long as I had and it took him a whole lot longer to learn about people than it took me.

"It's OK," Havoc said, quickly scribbling a number down on a piece of paper with a pen he'd stolen from Breda, "If she needs anything, phone me on this. I live in the same apartment block so I will be able to find anything out for her."

"Thanks," the nurse said, somewhat bitterly. She walked off leaving the rest of us to leave on our own accord.

"You know, Colonel," Breda said, "You should really lay off the flirting if you're going to get married."

I glanced behind me to see the young nurse freeze on the spot.

"I wasn't flirting," Roy replied. His hand moved from my back to my waist. "Do you think I'm that stupid? Hawkeye will kill me with a single shot."

I smiled as I turned my head back to face where I was walking, knowing full well that the nurse was watching us. When Roy glanced down to see what my expression was he chuckled lightly. I smiled back at him, feeling, for the first time in a few weeks, good about myself.

**Erg... Update soon ish. I'm a little busy with my 50 theme challenge and also a brand new fic. Yeah, thank my sponsor for that too. XD**

**RSx**


	31. Engagement, Shopping and a Challenge

**Woo! Finally after 3 attempts of trying to upload this! Anyway, hope you enjoy. In the next chapter Kit will return, I promise, so I will update in the next few days :)**

**Discalimer: I don't own FMA, but I thought Chapter 106 was epic XD**

**Engagement, Shopping and a Challenge**

George was released from the hospital a few days later under the close care of myself. George, like myself, was one of those people who hated to be waited on every five minutes but she co-operated with me as best as she could. To be honest there wasn't much she needed help with. Briggs had made her a strong woman.

She would sit in the kitchen while I made dinner most nights but one night she decided that she was bored of not being able to do anything so she made dinner instead. There was a loud knock on the door. I jumped out of my seat to answer it. Roy and Havoc were here early. Roy rushed in the apartment, picking me up round my waist and spinning me round.

"Roy!" I yelped as he spun me round. He stopped and gently lowered me to the floor.

"Sorry," he said. He leant in and kissed my lips. I tried to push him away but it was in vain.

"What you been feeding Mustang, Jean?" came George's voice from the kitchen.

"Beats me," Havoc replied as he stepped passed Roy and I to go into the kitchen. I managed to pry Roy away from me and glare at him.

"What are you doing?" I hissed. Roy gave me another kiss before digging into his pocket for an envelope. He gave it to me. I pulled out a creamy piece of paper and read it carefully. About half way down I stopped reading to stare at Roy. "Is this?"

"Yeah," he said, "We are now officially engaged."

"I can't believe it," I said in a shocked sort of way. Roy was fumbling in his coat for something else. I returned to the paper to read the rest of what was written. When I'd finished reading I looked up at Roy. He was holding a small box in his hand. I looked from it to his face.

"Since it's official," he said, opening the box to reveal a diamond solitaire ring. He carefully took it out of the box and grabbed my hand. I held my finger up so he could slide it on. For a few seconds I was mesmerised by the beauty of the ring.

"Thank you, Roy," I muttered. I smiled up at him and took a step closer to him. He kissed me passionately, wrapping his arms round my body and pulling me tight into him.

"Oi," George yelled, "You'll spoil our dinners!"

We parted and turned to see Havoc and George stood in the kitchen doorway staring at us. George was smiling while Havoc looked a little confused.

"Wait," he said, "You two are getting married not only because of the baby?"

"Kit will be returned to us in a week," Roy said as if the mention of the word baby made him remember.

"Really?" I asked. I hugged Roy tightly, winding him slightly. George laughed and returned into the kitchen, leaving Havoc to watch Roy and I as we started to discuss what needed doing before Kit returned.

***

"I'm beginning to think the Fuhrer had this all planned," George said as we walked in the city centre to buy things for Kit. My grandmother had said she would send us some of my old things such as a crib and some blankets but the most of it we had to buy ourselves. Between us we were pathetic. George was hobbling slightly due to her wounded leg and she could hardly carry anything. I was doing slightly better even though I had fallen down the stairs earlier in the morning. We looked like a couple of old ladies the way we were walking.

"I wouldn't like to comment," I said. George nodded. "We've set a date."

"Really?" George asked. "You're awfully keen."

"Well, we want to get married before the Fuhrer changes his mind," I explained, "It's harder to break up a marriage legally than to stop it in the first place."

"I guess," George agreed. I eyed George for a second.

"Will Havoc be popping over tonight?" I asked. George frowned but didn't look at me.

"I don't know," she replied, "And -before you say anything else- no."

"I wasn't -"

"And I'm General Armstrong," George snapped, "I will tell you this once and only once. Me and Havoc is never going to happen. We're friends and colleagues so a relationship of any nature apart from the previously mentioned isn't going to happen. Besides, I don't go for smokers."

"He hasn't smoked one cigarette since you were in hospital," I said. George gasped.

"Then I'm totally going to marry him," George said in a high pitched voice. She turned and gave me a look that told me to give it up. I smiled.

"I get the feeling other people have been telling you that you should date him," I said, "It pays to have a close friend, especially one you can trust with your life. Besides, I wanted to know if he was coming over so Roy and him could have a chat about him being the best man."

George stopped walking. I continued for a few paces before I too stopped to look back at her. She sighed loudly.

"I hate you, you evil, sneaky woman," she huffed before walking to catch up with me. I laughed at her. For the most of the day we avoided the topic of Jean Havoc.

***

I bumped into Havoc and Breda the following day while on the look for a baby bottle. After telling them off for skipping out of work they asked me to grab lunch with them, rather I was told I was going to have lunch with them.

"The Colonel let us out early today," Breda explained as we walked into a small café, "He and Gus are tearing up the office doing some sort of paperwork. Fuery went to help some tech guys and Falman went home. By the way, how's George?"

"She seems to be coping well," I replied, "At least she's more active now. I left her painting so I suspect she won't notice if I'm there or not."

"She paints?" Breda asked. I nodded. Breda pulled a face, unconvinced at George's painting ability. Havoc seemed too preoccupied by a waitress to comment. I sighed as Breda ordered a few coffees and several items of food. Breda knew exactly what Havoc liked and had told me to try something that he said was delicious. I would never try to disagree with Breda when it came to food. Breda and I walked towards a table near to the window, leaving Havoc making eyes at the waitress.

"So you and the Chief are finally engaged?" Breda asked.

"Officially, yes," I replied in a matter of fact tone, "But my grandfather forced Roy to promise to marry me so we've been engaged since I came here."

"Oh," Breda said, "But you've been staying with Churchill?"

"Yes," I said with a pause to think up an excuse, "She wanted me to stay with her. She doesn't seem to trust Roy much."

"I still think she's out to get him," Breda muttered, "Why else would a Briggs soldier come to Central? General Armstrong hates Mustang, everyone knows that."

"The Fuhrer ordered her here," I said, "His orders not Armstrong's"

"What?" Bred asked. He rubbed his head. "Then why does the Fuhrer want her here?"

I shrugged.

"Havoc, pick your goddamn tongue of the floor," I heard someone snap from the door. Breda and I turned to see Havoc straighten up and rub his head in an embarrassed way. I glanced at the door to see George frowning across the room at Havoc. She shook her head and walked towards our table.

"Hey, Churchill," Breda greeted.

"Hey, Breda, Riza," she replied. She sat on a chair and grimaced.

"You alright?" I asked. She nodded.

"I ran out of paints," she said as an explanation. Havoc nonchalantly walked over to us, eyeing George suspiciously.

"You enjoy bullying me don't you?" he asked. George raised her eyebrows.

"I don't bully," she replied sharply, "I just know how to make a fool of you."

Breda laughed at George. I found myself smiling too. I picked up a cup of coffee from the table and sipped it, watching the ensuing argument between Havoc and George. Breda was watching it like it was a sport, every now and again pitching in. In the end Havoc admitted defeat. He put his chin on his table and began glaring across the table at George.

"So what where you talking about before I came in?" George asked in a bid to change the topic.

"We were talking about why you were sent here," Breda replied like it wasn't an issue. George smirked. She looked round cautiously before sighing loudly.

"It was either be sent here or go into the stockade," she explained.

"Stockade?" Havoc asked, raising his head from the table. Breda was looking at George with some interest now. She shrugged. "What for?"

"Erm…" she said, "I can't really remember what incident it was but the Fuhrer heard that Armstrong was going to kill me after… I think it was after the time when I iced her office floor."

"YOU ICED THE GENERAL'S FLOOR?" Breda and Havoc roared, both slamming their hands on the table and standing up. George nodded.

"Yeah, " she said, "But the Fuhrer told me to come here because he thought I could liven up the place a little. That's why I'm assigned to Mustang, not because I'm good at my job, but rather the other higher ups didn't want to fall victim to my pranks."

"Pranks? You've never done a single prank on us," Breda said.

"Yeah, we're un-prankable," Havoc agreed. George sighed loudly.

"The truth is that I've lost my other half," George said going teary eyed. Both Breda and Havoc glared at her again.

"Other half?" Breda asked.

"You're married?" Havoc asked. I looked at Havoc wondering why he would jump to the conclusion that George was married. George scowled at him.

"Do I have a ring?" she asked, thrusting both hands in his face. "I meant my brother, idiots."

"Oh," Havoc and Breda chorused. George sat back in her chair, her eyes glued to Havoc and her brows furrowed. I was still drinking my coffee by the time they had finished their conversation.

Fearing for Havoc's life, I convinced George that it was time to leave. She left grudgingly, giving Havoc a cold hard death stare before we left. Once outside the café she turned to me.

"Un-prankable… let's just see about that then," she huffed before storming off down the street.

**

* * *

**

A.N. This is a purely RoyxRiza fanfic and I've had some requests for HavocXGeorge. On the bad side I'm not going to develop their relationship further on a romantic level, they are merely good friends. On the good side I'm in the process of writing a sequel for this (there's quite a few chapters til this finishes) which will focus on Havoc and Churchill at the end of this fic. However, I will not be able to publish that fic until this fic is finished otherwise it'd ruin everything!!! lol.

RSx


	32. Kit Returns

**As promised. I think the title speaks for itself. Hope you enjoy. I think I've only got a few more chapters left in this fic before it finishes, but I'm not quite sure. I normally do change my mind on things. Anyway. Enjoy!**

**Kit Returns**

I waited in anticipation in Roy's office. I felt so nervous even though there wasn't anything to be really nervous about. Roy was attempting to work but he was having very little luck. He spent most of his time glancing up at the clock or at me, rather than working. George was back in the office that day. As we walked into headquarters, we had hear Gus, the secretary, yell at the guys for messing the place up. When we finally got into the office, two minutes later, we found the guys being chased around by an angry looking Gus. It took George a whole ten minutes to calm the situation down. When the situation was under control she settled in her place, shrugging off her jacket and putting it on the chair back. She rolled up the sleeves of her uniform and unbuttoned a few of the top buttons, revealing a black tank top underneath her shirt.

Currently, she was working at her desk. She would sign papers, look over plans for the higher ups and every now and again walk past one of the guys' desk and kick them if they weren't working. None of them had the nerve to retaliate.

About half eleven there was a phone call, which Fuery answered. He almost fell out of his chair as he the person on the end spoke.

"Erm," Fuery squeaked, looking at Roy, "It's the Fuhrer, sir."

Roy went to get out of his chair but Fuery squeaked again.

"He wants Churchill," he explained. George got up and took the phone off of Fuery.

"Georgiana Churchill, body guard extraordinaire, how can I help you, sir?" she said down the phone like it was somebody she was friends with. Roy eyed her carefully. She returned his glare with a shrug. "Oh? Really? I thought I'd heard the rumour, sir. Yes, sir, at once, sir."

She gave the phone back to Fuery, who placed it back on its perch. George waited for the phone to be put back in its place and then she jumped several times on the spot.

"Buca's here," she chorused, like a school child.

"Buca?" Roy asked. George nodded.

"I'm going to shoot off," George said, picking up her military jacket and slinging it over her shoulder, "Don't know when I'll be back."

"Fine," Roy said but before he could say anything else she was through the door. Gone. "Damn it."

"I'm sure she'll be alright, sir," Fuery said but Roy shook his head.

"I was going to tell her to ask the Fuhrer if he knew anything regarding Hawkeye," Roy snapped, bitterly. He folded his arms and scowled deeply at the papers in front of him. "And who the hell is Buca?"

The guys' attention slipped to me as if I should know the answer.

"I don't know, sir," I replied calmly, "George doesn't tell me everything."

"Hmm…" Roy said, slightly off put by me calling him 'sir', "Buca? Buca? I think it rings a bell."

Roy rubbed his chin as he thought about the name. I felt a pang of annoyance.

"I really think you should get on with your work, sir," I suggested. Roy jumped.

"Yeah," he said, quickly scrambling to find his pen. In a few seconds he was working peacefully. I turned my gaze onto the rest of the guys. None of them dared argue with me even though I hadn't got my guns on me. I sighed.

"Old habits die hard, eh, Hawkeye?" Roy remarked from his desk. His eyes were still on his paper. I got up and walked over to his desk. I perched on the corner, making him glance up at me for a second before returning to signing his name. I watched him write each letter of his signature. I had never noticed the way he wrote. After so many years of making sure he was working I have never paused to watch him right. His letters were curved in a regal way, unlike how the others wrote.

I jumped as the phone on his desk rang. He didn't have to look at it to pick it up. He reached for it and held it to his ear.

"Colonel Mustang," he said. He paused. "Of course, sir. Both myself and Hawkeye are here, sir… Well, I would be happy to accompany her, sir. Thank you."

He put the phone down and got up slowly, like he was worried about something. I watched him carefully until he snapped his head in the direction of the guys.

"Keep working," he ordered.

"Yes, sir,"

His site turned onto me and his features relaxed slightly.

"The Fuhrer wants to see us," he said quietly, "He has Kit in his office."

I jumped off his desk.

"You'd better be working by the time we get back," Roy snapped. The guys didn't look up but started to scribble faster not daring to answer back. Roy walked me to the door and we walked towards the Fuhrer's office.

The walk seemed to take for ever. It was like we were walking in slow motion even though we were walking perfectly normal. When we finally reached the Fuhrer's office we were greeted by his aide. She fluttered her eyes at Roy as if she was attempting to flirt with him.

"Please wait here, sir," she said as she slid into the Fuhrer's office to check if he was ready for us. She returned after a few seconds and held the door open for us. She cast me a dark look as I walked past her but I met her glare with my own icy one and she backed off.

George was in the room stood with a few officers. She glanced over at us and smiled before turning back to her work. I felt instant relief by her small gesture. Another officer turned round. He was tall, muscular with jet black hair, half in a Mohawk, the rest in a long, skinny plait. I recognised him at once. Captain Buccaneer. He gave Roy a salute.

"Mustang," he said gruffly. He walked towards Roy until he was only a few feet away. Roy regarded Buccaneer with a little bit of caution but when the giant of a man broke into a wide smile, he relaxed. "I would like to thank you of looking after Vee for me."

"Vee?" Roy asked, looking beyond Buccaneer to see George waving at him. "Churchill? Well, it's been my pleasure. She's been looking after Hawkeye for me."

"Ah, Lieutenant," Buccaneer said, turning his eyes onto me. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an envelope. He passed it to me. "From the General."

"Thank you," I said, taking the envelope from his hand.

"I heard you'd had a baby but the General said it was nonsense," Buccaneer explained, "That was until Vee confirmed it."

"And why is Hawkeye having a baby 'nonsense'?" Roy asked.

"Not her having a baby as such, but rather having yours," Buccaneer replied, "The General thought Hawkeye had better taste, that's all."

Roy hung his head comically. After all this time General Armstrong still got to him in the same way. I smiled at him.

"Buccaneer," one of the other soldiers called. Buccaneer turned and walked back to the desk. "What do you think of this plan, then?"

"Ah, Colonel," I heard the Fuhrer say. We both turned towards where the voice was coming from. The Fuhrer was stood by an open side door with his usual cheery smile on his face. "It's good to see you."

Roy saluted the Fuhrer and I followed suit, not really knowing how I should act around the man. The Fuhrer waved me off.

"Come now, Miss Hawkeye," he said, "You're no longer in the Military so I don't expect you to act like you are."

"I'm sorry, sir," I said as I dropped my hand to my side. The Fuhrer caught my hand and kissed it gently.

"As the future wife of one of my finest officers, I say that you should relax more," The Fuhrer said. His eye flickered onto Roy for a second as if to gage his reaction. Roy was stood with his hands behind his back, watching us with a small smile on his face.

"I am glad you approve, sir," Roy said. The Fuhrer moved my hand onto his elbow.

"You need to treat this woman with respect, Mustang," the Fuhrer warned, "This is an opportunity I rarely grant."

I allowed him to lead me towards his desk. I was slightly startled by his actions. Why was he treating me like this? After he had sent so many people into war, murdered so many innocents, why was he treating me so… carefully. Then I remembered the tattoo on my back. I sat down on a chair he pulled out for me. I glanced behind me to notice that George had moved round the table she was working at so that she could watch us. My view was blocked as Roy stood next to my chair.

"I gather you have all your plans in motion, Colonel?" the Fuhrer asked.

"Yes, sir," Roy replied. The Fuhrer nodded and smiled widely.

"Jolly good," he said, "And when will General Grumman be coming down?"

"Soon," I replied for Roy, who didn't know, "He and my grandmother will be coming to Central in a few weeks."

"Ah," the Fuhrer said, "It will be good to see the General again. It's been so long since he beat me at chess."

The Fuhrer laughed loudly. I smiled and put my hand over my mouth to hide a giggle.

"My grandfather often beats Roy at chess too," I said, feeling Roy's body droop slightly beside me, "In fact the only person who can beat him is my grandmother but I doubt that she does beat him but rather he lets her win. My grandmother can be awfully scary."

The Fuhrer laughed once again. Roy shuffled nervously on the spot.

"Yes, yes," the Fuhrer said, "The General has always been a clever man."

As the Fuhrer stopped talking I heard a baby cry. My head snapped in the direction where it was coming from. It was coming from the door that Roy and I had walked through. The door was closed at the moment but after a few seconds it opened. Two men were walking towards us holding a baby in their arms. The room had fallen silent apart from the baby. I knew the tone of the crying. It was Kit.

I jumped out of the chair as the men got the desk. The one carrying Kit handed him over to the Fuhrer. The Fuhrer held the baby oddly, like he'd never seen one before.

"So, I believe this is your son, Colonel," the Fuhrer asked.

"Yes, sir," Roy said. I took a step forwards to get a better look but Roy held his hand up to stop me. He glanced at me, telling me to keep calm. I stood patiently, waiting for the Fuhrer to pass him to one of us. The Fuhrer stared at Kit for a few minutes before he must have grown tired of the crying.

"He has your eyes, Miss Hawkeye," he remarked as he passed him onto me. I took him a little too eagerly. I pulled him close to my chest and cuddled him softly. My Kit was back. The baby fell silent as soon as he was in my arms.

"Thank you, sir," I said, managing to tear my eyes away from Kit to look at the Fuhrer. The Fuhrer wasn't smiling. He was staring at me like I was some sort of freak. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze but I managed to keep on smiling. "It's such a relief to know he's safe."

The Fuhrer smiled.

"That will be all, Colonel," he said, dismissing us. I turned to follow Roy out of the room. Out of the corner of my eye I saw George take a step towards us. "Lieutenant Churchill. The plans."

"Sir," she replied. She returned to her work. Buccaneer watched Roy and I leave the room, his face twisted into a scowl like he didn't buy what had just happened.

We walked past the Fuhrer's aide, who glared again at me. This time I smiled at her and showed her Kit.

"Isn't he an angel?" I asked her. Her glare melted into a smile and she nodded.

"Good luck, miss," she replied.

"Hawkeye," Roy snapped, a few paces in front of me. I walked quickly to catch up to him. All the time hugging Kit to my chest. We passed a few soldiers and I offered them a quick glance at Kit before continuing to follow Roy. Roy was seemingly annoyed by the way I was acting but I pretended not to care.

"Stop showing women here our son, Riza," he muttered as I caught up to him for a fourth time, "They're going to want one."

"From you?" I asked. Roy's face dropped. "You have such a big head, Mustang. If he got his good looks from anywhere, it was _my_ mother, not you."

"If you say so," Roy replied, with a smirk.

When we arrived at the office, Roy opened the door and held it open for me to walk in.

"Hey, Chief… Holy crap! Hawkeye's got a baby!" Havoc yelped as we entered. Roy shut the door with a snap.

"Havoc, don't swear in front of the baby," Roy snapped. Havoc nodded. I moved Kit in my arms slightly so he was more up right. I took the blanket from around his head. He looked round the room in wonder and started to giggle.

"Wow," Fuery said, "He's so small."

"He's a baby, moron," Breda retorted. Slowly the guys made their way to me. They moved like they were afraid to make him jump.

"How many of you have seen babies before?" Roy asked. They each exchanged looks.

"Erm…" Breda said.

"We saw pictures of Hughes' daughter, sir," Falman replied, "But we didn't see her as a baby."

"Come on then," I said to Kit, my motherly tone coming out of my mouth automatically. I walked him to the desk. Fuery pulled a chair out for me. I sat down and started to rock him gently.

"I've got to admit, sir," Havoc said, "That's one cute baby."

"He's got his mother's eyes," Fuery said.

"Hopefully he'll be quiet for you," Falman said, "I mean his father sleeps a lot so he might do."

"Thanks, Falman," Roy said grumpily. Roy walked beside my chair and crouched a little. Roy stroked Kit's head and smiled. "It's good to have you back, Kit."

"Do you want to hold him?" I asked. Roy shook his head.

"I'll leave him with you for time being," he said, standing up straight, "After all, you two have a lot to catch up on."

With that Roy walked to his desk and returned to work like nothing had happened. Breda, Gus and Falman returned to their desks too. Havoc leant on the desk beside me, getting a good look at Kit. Kit watched Havoc for a few minutes before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

"See Havoc, the kid's only a few months old and even he knows you're a joke," Breda remarked.

"Yeah, yeah," Havoc replied. Fuery was staring at Kit like he was in a dream.

"He's so cute," Fuery said after while.

"He gets that from his mother," Havoc told him seriously. I glanced up at him. "Come on, if he got that cuteness from the Colonel then he'd know he was cute, but you notice how he's not flaunting his cuteness?"

"I suppose," I replied.

"Does this mean I'm going to poked at for the next few weeks as people tell all my bad points?" Roy grumbled from his desk.

"Yes," I replied. The guys chuckled. Havoc returned to his desk with Fuery following his lead a few minutes later.

They worked for the next few hours without much chatter. Every now and then Kit would giggle or let out a small cute noise which would make them look up and smile. Everything was quiet until George returned into the office.

She opened the door and walked in like she was on some mission.

"Wow," she said as she saw him, "He's so cute. Are you sure Mustang's the father?"

"George," Roy moaned. The guys chuckled.

"May I?" George said, holding her arms out.

"You're not going to drop him are you?" Roy asked. I passed Kit to George. Kit moaned a little as I did so but he didn't cry as George folded her arms round him. She held him gently and started to do a slow sort of dance. Roy was watching her carefully as if he was half expecting her to drop her. When she noticed his gaze she stopped moving.

"Three sisters," she said, "Born when I was five, six and eight. The last raised by myself."

"I wasn't going to say anything," Roy said.

"You didn't have to," George replied.

"So this is where you rushed off too."

George turned and smiled at the new comer in the room. Roy stood up as Buccaneer stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"No need, Colonel," Buccaneer said before Roy could open his mouth.

"Buca," George said to Buccaneer, "You'll scare him with that metal claw of yours. Shoo."

Buccaneer took a few steps back, much to the amusement of Roy. George continued to glare at Buccaneer as she walked back to me and handed me Kit.

"So this is Buca, is it?" Havoc asked, "We wondered who George was talking about, sir."

"Havoc," Buccaneer said as a way of greeting, "I was called here to help with some arrangements for security or something. They were going to send Bulldog, but the Fuhrer thought it was a bad idea."

"Not really," George said, "There's trouble here if he's here or not."

"Yeah," Breda scoffed, "The great tricksters and all."

Breda pulled his drawer open. I watched as something sprang out of the door. Breda yelped and fell backwards out of his chair, screaming his head off.

"GET IT OFF!" he was yelling. Kit started to giggle. Havoc went to help Breda up, pulling a small sized dog shaped toy off of him.

"This is it?" Havoc asked as Breda tried to regain his composure, "A teddy?"

"I thought it was real!" Breda yelled. Havoc pressed the dog's stomach and it began to bark mechanically. Breda gulped.

"He's afraid of dogs," I heard George mutter to Buccaneer. Buccaneer began to laugh loudly. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"You never get old, Vee," Buccaneer roared.

**Hope it made the wait worth it. Also, I'm not sure how I can get Havoc back bearing in mind he doesn't smoke anymore. Suggestions would be appreciated :)**

**RSx**


	33. Scarred

**I didn't realise how long this chapter was. Any way, now that Kit's back in this will everything finally settle down? Read and see.**

**I've debating whether to extend this story a bit or end it at the point I wanted to in the first place. Tell me what you think.**

**Scarred**

"You really don't have to take the time to walk me everywhere," I told George as we walked towards headquarters. I was pushing Kit in a pram. I was supposed to be meeting Roy for dinner but he had sent George to look after me until he got there. George shrugged as we reached the gates.

"Mustang's being a little cautious," George replied, "Something about a murderer on the loose."

"Something?" I asked. I sighed as she nodded blankly. She didn't have a clue about these sort of details. Either she didn't know, didn't care or didn't want to worry me.

"Hey!" George suddenly shouted, "You're three fricking hours late!"

I glanced up to see who she was talking to. I hated to admit it but I saw Alphonse before I saw Ed.

"What about it?" Ed yelled back. George stormed towards the young alchemist. I looked at Kit who was sound asleep in the pram.

"That is the kid your father will never want you to grow up into," I told him.

"Hey! Put me down!" Ed yelped. I looked up to see George lifting Ed off of the floor by the scruff of his coat.

"I don't take lateness without a good reason," she hissed, "I hate it when brats like you think you can mosey into headquarters like you rule the place."

"George, let him down," I said, wheeling Kit towards the three. George eyed me for a minute before complying. She dropped the alchemist onto the floor. His automail clunked on the floor.

"You know you should respect me more since I outrank you," Ed growled. George folded his arms. Ed looked at me. "Don't tell me you've made a friend here? Why are you friends with her?"

"Like it's any worse than being a friend of yours," George remarked.

"Edward Elric," Ed greeted. He offered me his automail hand to shake. I looked at his hand and then to his face. He seemed to become uncomfortable. "It won't hurt you, you know."

"I know, Ed," I replied, "It's just that I'm a little confused. Don't you recognise me?"

Ed and Al exchanged looks before taking a closer look at me. In the end it was Kit stirring in the pram that made them remember who I was.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye!" Ed roared. Kit woke up and began to cry. I gently shushed him until he became quiet, noticing how rigid Ed and Al had become.

"So is that?" Ed asked.

"Yes," I replied, picking Kit out of the pram and holding him up so that Ed and Al could see him.

"And you're not… dead?" Ed asked.

"No, I'm a zombie," I found myself replying. I frowned at George who was smirking across at me. "You've rubbed off on me too much."

"Sorry, Riza," George said.

"It's very nice to see you're well, Lieutenant," Al said, "Are you enjoying your maternity leave?"

"I'm not on maternity leave," I replied, "I don't have a job anymore."

"Mustang fired you?" Ed asked.

"No, the Fuhrer did," I replied calmly, "I can't look after Kit and look after Roy at the same time. That's why George looks after him most of the day, now."

"That's true," George said. I laid Kit back down in the pram.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Al asked.

"Nothing, really," I replied, "I have to play the wife for a while."

"The wife?" Ed asked.

"Yes," I said calmly, "I'm going to marry Roy."

"You're going to marry that -"

"Ed, baby," I reminded him.

"Man," he finished. He pouted. "Why? Can't you marry Havoc or Breda or someone with a little more substance?"

"Roy is Kit's father," I replied, "It's what's best."

"Yeah but," Ed went on, "What if… What if with all that could happen… You'll be like Gracia."

"Hey," George snapped, "Why am I here? Listen, kiddo, I may look like a feeble woman, but I am the best at my job. Sure I couldn't stop my last boss from eating pies but still."

Ed grinned at her.

"Roy and I were going to catch some lunch," I said, "You can join us if you want."

"Um… Sure," Ed said, rubbing his head in embarrassment.

"Al, you too," I added, looking up at all. I could see he was trying to sneak a peak at Kit but I didn't bring attention to it.

"Really? Thank you, Lieutenant," Al chirruped. I waved my finger at him.

"It's either Hawkeye or Riza now, Al," I corrected.

"OK… Riza?" he tried. I nodded.

"That was almost sweet," George remarked. She turned her head. "Hey Mustang. You're late!"

"I know, I know," Roy said as he strode over to us, "Fuery was having a melt down."

"Another?" George asked, "Well, I'd best be getting back. Seeya Riza, Fullmetal, Al."

She took a step to the pram and waved at Kit.

"Bye bye, Kit," she said in a much softer voice. With that she turned and sprinted towards the main building. Roy turned his eyes onto Ed.

"You feeling alright? You're only three hours late, Fullmetal," Roy teased.

"I've invited them to lunch," I told him before Ed could retaliate. Roy nodded.

"Be on your best behaviour," Roy warned Ed, "Other wise you have to change the baby."

"Is that bad?" Ed asked quietly. Roy nodded gravely.

"Men," I muttered.

***

Surprisingly Ed and Roy didn't even attempt to kill each other as we went for lunch. An argument had started but I managed to stop it before it could turn into a full on rant. It was simple really, if I had known that by dumping a baby in Roy's arms took his attention off of Ed for a while then I would have rented Alisha off of Hughes when she was younger. Ed and Al seemed captivated by Kit, like they'd never been so close to a baby before.

Just before the end of our lunch a soldier walked into the café we were sat in and approached Roy and Ed. The soldier introduced himself as Joey Sinclair, a Lieutenant from the Briggs and one of Buccaneer's men.

"The Captain wanted me to come find you both," Lieutenant Sinclair said, "He said he's received some very interesting information about Commodore Hughes' death and wondered if you'd be interested."

I looked at Roy as Sinclair said this. Roy looked like he was contemplating the idea for a second before his eyes shifted onto Kit.

"What sort of information?" Roy asked. Sinclair shrugged.

"Nothing dangerous," Sinclair replied honestly. Ed looked from Sinclair to Roy and stood up.

"I'll go," Ed said, "I mean, the Colonel has other priorities at the minute but I wouldn't mind having a look into it."

"Sure thing," Sinclair said, "If you want to come now?"

"Sure," Ed replied. Al stood up as if to follow his brother but he stopped at Kit's pram.

"I think we should making tracks," Roy said to me. I nodded and rose to my feet. Roy dropped some money onto the table and we walked out of the café like we did this every other day. Al was walking beside me asking about Kit while Sinclair, Ed and Roy walked a few feet in front of us talking about something else. The café was by the riverside in a very nice area of Central. It felt like a holiday when all said and done.

As we walked I kept my eyes on Roy, feeling slightly happy at the day we'd had. I was soon pulled out of my thoughts as I realised there was an extra set of feet following us. I took a deep breath and flung my hair over my shoulders, glancing round to see who was following us.

He looked out of place, wearing shades, a beige jacket and having dark skin. I was about to shrug it off when he rushed forwards.

"Brother!" Al yelped as the man put his hand on Al's side. Roy and Ed turned, their expressions instantly dropped as they looked at the man. I jumped as Al's armour exploded.

Roy bounded to my side and pushed me out of the way of any attack. I pulled the pram to safety and went to reach for Kit. Roy went into his pocket for his gloves while Ed and Sinclair tried, and failed, to get the man away from Kit and I.

"Get Kit and get out of here," he barked.

"Who is that?" I asked. Kit was beginning to scream loudly in my arms.

"Scar," Roy muttered. He turned to me. "Go, now."

I opened my mouth to complain but there was another metallic explosion. Roy pulled me into his arms to cover Kit from a spray of nuts and blots. I peered over Roy's shoulder to see Ed on the floor, his automail arm in pieces all around us. Roy turned to see what I was looking at. Sinclair was left trying to get the man away from us. Roy pushed me slightly. I looked at him before running away, feeling more useless than ever.

Sinclair's attempts were short lived, by the sound of it. As I ran I heard the most horrible squelch but I daren't turn to have a look.

"Riza!" I heard Roy yell. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned. I saw the man coming towards me, his left arm raised. Somehow I was pushed out of the way and landed softly on Roy. I glanced up at Roy, his eyes were shut and an eerie trickle of blood was coming from the back of his head where it had obviously hit the floor.

"Roy?" I asked. I shook him and called his name again but he didn't respond.

"I didn't expect the Flame Alchemist to be subdued so easily," the man said, almost triumphantly. I reached for Roy's side arm and held it up, aiming for in-between his eyes.

"Come near him and I'll pull the trigger," I shouted. I sounded a lot braver than I felt. The man seemed to regard me as if I was nothing but an insect.

"How can you expect to kill me when two Alchemists couldn't?" he asked.

"To hell with alchemy," I snapped, "I'm a trained sniper. I've been looking after him since I can even remember and you're not going to take him away from me!"

"A sniper?" he asked, "From Ishbal?"

I was about to reply but he took his glasses off, revealing his red eyes. He was expecting me to cower at the site of those red eyes but the grip on the gun only tightened. Kit was still wailing in my arms but I couldn't comfort him at the moment. The man's eyes left my face to look at Kit.

"He's our son," I explained, "But we're not married. If you're going to kill Roy then you're going to have to kill me too. It'll save me the hassle of shooting myself."

He seemed taken a back by my sudden request. His eyes widened.

"Without Roy, I don't have a son. Without Roy or my son, I don't have a life worth living," I went on, "So why should I live it?"

"Let Ishballa forgive both your souls," he said. He knocked the gun out of my hand and placed his hand on my head. "I will not hurt your child."

"Very well," I said. I closed my eyes, gripping Kit tightly into my chest. Just when I thought he was going to kill me he pulled his arm back and stepped back a few paces, growling as if he was in pain. I slowly opened my eyes. Blood was dripping from his shoulder from where an arrow had embedded itself. I turned my head up the road to see George with a long bow in one hand, an arrow in the other.

"Wow," she mused, "An Ishballan. Fancy seeing an Ishballan in Central."

George loaded another arrow into the bow and aimed. The man froze to the spot.

"What's the matter?" she asked, "Remember a bow and arrow from Somme?"

The man took a few more steps backwards. George took a few forwards.

"Yeah, I was the little girl who used to shoot apples from the orchards," she went on, "And I remember your pretty little face from when you fled from Ishbal. Do you remember me?"

The man stopped in his tracks, his demeanour suddenly changing from terrified to aggressive. George smirked and lowered her bow and arrow.

"I always wanted to know who would win in a fight," she said. She threw down the bow and arrow and readied herself for a hand to hand fight. The man did the same. As if on cue rain started to pour from the sky in big, heavy droplets. George continued to grin while the man seemed wary of her.

"May Ishballa have mercy on your soul," the man said.

"And may I have the money for those apples," George snorted in reply.

Everything was happening so quickly my eyes could hardly take it all in. George was moving as quickly and nimbly as the man. Somehow she was keeping a few steps a head of him, even getting a strike in every now and again.

I blinked as I managed to tear my eyes off of the fight and turned my attention to Roy. He still hadn't woken and I was getting a little worried. I looked up as I noticed someone hurrying towards me. I even stifled a laugh as I realised it was Havoc.

"Hawkeye," he said, breathlessly, "Are you alright?"

I managed to nod but at the moment I felt like I couldn't talk. I shushed Kit in my arms as Havoc tried to get Roy off of the floor. I looked nervously at Roy. His body was completely limp and lifeless.

"Is he?" Havoc asked, as he put Roy's arm round his shoulder so that he could drag him.

"I'm not sure," I managed to whisper. Havoc nodded and began to drag Roy towards Ed and Al. Ed was awake and looking at George and the man fighting.

"The colonel!" Al yelped as he saw Havoc dragging Roy's lifeless form beside him. Ed's attention moved onto Roy too.

"What happened?" Ed shouted. Havoc put his finger to his lips.

"We'll wait here for back up," Havoc said, "We got the message twenty minutes ago that Scar was in the city. We set out to find you but it looks like we were a little late."

"A little?" Ed asked pointing to his absent automail arm. Havoc looked across towards George and 'Scar'. They were still fighting it out. George was doing incredibly well considering her wounds and how strong and fast Ishballans were. From where I was sat on the floor I could see that her uniform was becoming purple in a few places from where her wounds must have opened.

Suddenly the fight broke apart. George wiped her head with her right arm and unbuttoned her jacket with her left hand. She shrugged both her jacket and shirt off, leaving her black tank top on.

"I bet it's too cold for you here," she remarked as she took the sleeves off her arms and threw the two to the side. "I feel like I'm in an oven. Do you talk at all?"

"You're wounded," Scar pointed out, looking at the open wound in her shoulder. George shrugged.

"It's just a flesh wound," she said, "Besides I won't feel it until the adrenalin subsides."

The fight started off again with a lunge from Scar. George managed to duck out of the way but the next strike caught her in the stomach and she was completely knocked off her feet. She landed in a pile on the pavement, holding the place of impact. Scar strolled up to her but George only shrugged at the imminent threat.

Scar was knocked down by an attack from behind. I looked at the new attacker, recognising the automail arm and the Mohawk at once.

"Hands off my subordinate," Buccaneer roared. George got to her feet and steadied herself on the spot.

"Glad you could make it, Buca," George replied. She swayed slightly on the spot, the blood loss finally catching up with her.

"Take a rest, Vee," Buccaneer ordered. George gave a lopsided salute before turning to rush to us. Havoc ran towards her, catching her as her legs gave way. He then supported her as they made their way back to us. She immediately checked Roy for breathing and a pulse, something I should've have done but, until she had done it, I didn't think to check. She sighed in relief.

"He's alive," she stated, "Barely."

She turned to Ed and checked his arm. Finally she looked at Al, with a whole in his side and both legs missing. She didn't seem at all surprised that he was an empty suit of armour. She turned to Havoc.

"Did you call for medical back up?" she asked. Havoc nodded slowly.

"They unfortunately they won't come into the area until it's clear," Havoc explained. George sighed.

"Ed can you walk?" she asked, sharply.

"I guess," Ed replied.

"Then get up and go down that road there," George ordered, pointing towards an ally. Ed nodded and slowly got to his feet. "Riza, go with him."

"But-" I began but I was cut off by her raising her hand.

"I said," she snapped. I nodded and got up. I walked with Ed, making sure he didn't stumble or fall. When we reached the ally I turned to see that Havoc was dragging Roy towards us while George stayed with Al. It looked like she was talking to him. Havoc laid Roy down on the floor carefully. He turned on his heel and went back for George and Al. George was able enough to walk herself towards the ally while Havoc dragged Al like he'd done with Roy. George took her time, watching Scar and Buccaneer fighting as she came towards us. The buildings now obstructed our view of the fight. We had no idea what was going on. That's why George was taking as long as possible. She could warn us of any on coming attack.

She suddenly broke into a run. Havoc was knocked to the floor as Scar appeared in the ally way. I automatically covered Kit and Roy's head with my body, making sure not squish Kit.

"ARGH!" Scar yelled. I raised my head to see a new arrow through his abdomen. He turned and whacked George out of the alley. With her wounds she was pretty helpless, if it wasn't for Buccaneer suddenly reappearing and managing to get Scar away from the alley. I watched as Buccaneer finally overpowered Scar and forced him into the river. Buccaneer watched as the Ishballan was carried down stream in a fast current brought on by the sudden heavy down pour. Buccaneer sighed before rushing back to George. By the time he got to her side her eyes were closed and her body was limp. Her head was to one side, her left arm over her stomach. I got the horrible feeling that if she had done that a minute ago then Scar would've been dead by now.

**Shock, horror! Will Roy pull through? I know but you'll to wait until I upload next :P In the mean time tell me if I should extend it or not.**

**RSx**


	34. Hospital Again

**Woo, I was going to update tomorrow but I decided against it. This will be my last upload as an 18 year old, but there are more chapters to come. Hopefully I will update in a few days. XD. Enjoy!!!**

**Hospital, Again**

"Why does it seem like I'm always in hospitals now-a-days?" Havoc asked, light heartedly as he walked me to Roy's room. He led me to a room and opened the door to reveal, not Roy, but George and Buccaneer. George was slipping her jacket onto her shoulders. I shot a look at Havoc as he gave me a gentle push into the room. George raised an eyebrow and looked at Buccaneer for an explanation. Buccaneer rose to his feet.

"Hawkeye," he greeted, "I'm sorry I made Havoc bring you here, but there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What?" I asked, feeling a little impatient. George groaned as she climbed off her bed.

"The Colonel's not doing so good," Buccaneer said bluntly. I frowned at him. "I know the situation and I've come to tell you about General Armstrong's plan for you."

"What plan? There is no plan because Roy is going to be fine," I snapped. Buccaneer glanced at George.

"There's a possibility that he may not pull through," Buccaneer went on. Before I could say anything else, George raised a hand.

"Buca, with all due respect," George said, "It's early days yet. The Mustang's a strong man with a lot to live for so if you don't mind, tell me the plans for later."

Buccaneer looked at George in surprise. Slowly a smile made a way onto his face.

"You've become quite a stubborn ass while you've been here," he remarked, "But very well."

She limped forwards, only to be caught by Havoc. She bowed her head in thanks and allowed him to help her out of the room. She looked round nervously before walking quickly down the hall. I followed with Buccaneer beside me.

"Have you even been dismissed yet?" Havoc asked.

"If I had been, do you think I'd be trying to get out of here in a rush?" she retorted. I turned to Buccaneer who smiled back at me.

*******

It was the early hours of the next morning when I found myself at the hospital. To my surprise, George was already in Roy's room sat on a chair so that the back of it rested on her front. I smiled as I closed the door behind me, faintly remembering the swarm of nurses that came to stop her leaving the hospital the day before. It was good to see she wasn't wearing her uniform, but rather shorts, a tank top and a linen shirt. I sat down beside her but nothing was said.

For a while she sat starring at Roy's bed with a sleepy expression on her face. I took it that she hadn't got much sleep, much like me. She only seemed to come alive around seven o'clock when Havoc walked into the room and he prodded her a few times to make sure she was still conscious. She had told him to knock it off and he took this as a good sign.

We sat for hours until we were shooed out. Havoc had to drag George back to her room, careful not to hurt her anymore than she was. The nurses giggled at him as he was forced to pick her up and sling her over his shoulder. George, however, wasn't very amused by this and started to kick and scream until she was back in her room.

The next day I arrived to find George sat in her chair watching Roy like a hawk. I would sit next to her and nothing would be said. After a while Havoc would join us. He would check to see if George was still alive before sitting down. When the clock struck five we were shooed out once more and Havoc was forced to take George back top her room again, although this time she had fallen asleep. I would go home, check in on Kit (who I'd left with Gracia) and then go to bed.

This continued for the next few days.

Hospital. George. Havoc. Waiting. Carrying. Leave. Check. Bed. Hospital. George. Havoc. Waiting. Carrying. Leave. Check. Bed.

Until one morning I got into the hospital room to find there was no George sat staring at Roy. I looked at Roy. He was still unconscious. I walked up to his bed and stroked his arm softly. To my surprise his arms twitched like my touch was tickling him. He was still in there. I flopped into a chair and breathed out heavily.

A nurse entered the room to check on his vitals. She glanced at me and smiled warmly.

"Are you normally with Lieutenant Churchill, miss?" she asked, her tone sounding grave.

"Yes," I replied.

"Well, I have some rather unfortunate news," the nurse said. She walked over to the seat next to mine and took my hands gently. I felt my breath hitch in my throat, my heart beat faster. George had been OK the last time I had seen her.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked, a sense of urgency in my tone.

"I'm afraid she's developed an infection," the nurse explained softly, "The wounds are fine but she seems to have a case of pneumonia. Her defence system seemed to shut down while she was here and that's why it's developed so suddenly."

"But… She's from Briggs," I said, "She's used to being cold and having bad colds. She can't be sick."

"I'm afraid so," the nurse said, "She's been moved to the Intensive Care Unit if you want to see her."

"Thank…Thank you, nurse," I said. I felt my voice shake. I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes. This couldn't be happening…

"Hey," a shaky voice pulled me from out of the blue. I looked up to see Roy's eyes open. He was staring at me with confusion. I jumped out of my seat. I went to say his name but no words came out. Instead I rushed to him and hugged him tightly. He went rigid for a second before he patted me on my back. Fearing I had hurt him I pulled away. I looked into his onyx eyes only to have him look blankly at me.

"Are you alright?" I asked. He nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I think," he said, "A bit of a headache."

"Well I'm not surprised," I said, "You hit your head hard."

"Oh," he replied. He stared at me. "Sorry, but, exactly who are you?"

**I feel like I'm on Eastenders ¬_¬ Anyway... I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D I am going to extend this story only because I have a wicked cool plot XD anyway, until then, seeya.**

**RSx**


	35. Memory Lane

**This will be my last chapter for a while unless I have some free time to upload more. My end of year exams are coming up in 3 weeks and I really need to start revising T_T So, I apologise in advance for the lack of updating. Hopefully by the end of May I should have a little more time to upload something. **

**Anyway, I don't own FMA but I do own George and Kit which makes up for it, a little. Please enjoy this though!**

**Memory Lane**

Roy sat looking confused as the doctor explained several things to both of us. The hit on the back of his head probably caused the temporary memory loss but it would return in a while. As the doctor explained the technical stuff I could see Roy's attention slip away to a crack in the wall. When the doctor had finished talking he looked at us both.

"Any questions?" he asked.

"Yeah, three," Roy said, "Did you know that crack looks like a sheep?"

I groaned as he asked this but I was glad that his sense of humour hadn't been erased.

"And the other two?" the doctor asked, his eyebrow twitching violently.

"I said I had three and I've asked you it," Roy replied, sounding a little annoyed. The doctor looked confused before backing out of the room slowly. Roy looked at me and smiled. "What a weird man."

"Roy," I snapped. I sat down beside him and sighed. Roy's smile faded a little as I stared at him. In the end he shrugged it off.

"Come on… Chris? No… Ri… Beth?" he tried, desperately thinking of my name. He scowled and fell silent. I smiled at him.

"Try again," I said. He thought for a minute more.

"Am I close?" he asked. I nodded. "Ri…Beth… Elizabeth, no, Riza, right?"

"Very good," I replied calmly.

"Sorry," he apologised, "What was I saying?"

"I'm not sure," I said. He reached across and took my hand without a second thought.

"So the girl with pew… thingy? She going to be OK?" he asked. I shrugged.

"I'll send Havoc down when he gets here," I replied. Roy nodded.

"Question," he said suddenly, holding up a finger, "I have a few of them actually. What's my surname? Do I own a horse? Are we married? Who's Havoc? Where am I? And can I have pudding?"

I burst into laughter, unable to contain myself at the list of random questions being fired at me. I covered my mouth with my hand.

"Sorry," I said before answering, "You're surname is Mustang."

"Explains the horse," Roy said with a smirk and a shrug.

"We're engaged. Havoc is one of your subordinates. You're in Central Hospital and I'm not quite sure where you get pudding from."

"Oh," Roy said, "But.. We have a son right. Hayate, is it?"

"Hayate's my dog," I corrected, "Kit is our son, yes."

This was going to be a very long day. It wasn't made much better when Havoc walked through the door. He didn't seem to notice that Roy was awake at first, he seemed more interested in the fact that George wasn't present. After I explained what the nurse had told me and he nodded a few times before jumping out of his skin as, finally, he realised Roy was staring at him.

"Sorry, Chief," he said to Roy. Roy gave him a blank look in return.

"He can't remember a few things," I told Havoc. Havoc made a little 'o' with his mouth before it grew into a smirk.

"Hey, Colonel," Havoc said, "You owe me money."

"Huh?" Roy asked, bewildered at Havoc.

"You bet I couldn't get a date for Friday," Havoc explained, "And I have. So cough up."

"She said I have amnesia, not that I'm an idiot," Roy snapped. Havoc's face dropped.

"Are you saying that I can't get a date by Friday?" Havoc yelled.

"It's not that you can't, it's that you lack the capacity to do so!" Roy shouted back, "I on the other hand, if I wasn't engaged, would show you exactly how to get a date by Friday. No, by the end of today!"

"That's impossible!" Havoc yelped.

"Havoc," I found myself snapping, "Will you stop arguing with him?"

"Sorry, Hawkeye," Havoc said apologetically. Roy was grinning smugly.

"And you can stop smirking," I snapped at Roy. He flinched at my tone and his face fell almost instantly. "Just because -"

"You know you look so much better with your hair down," he said, throwing me off what I was going to say. I blinked a few times before grabbing my plat and stroking it gently. I suddenly shook my head and stood up.

"I'm going to check on George," I stated. I walked towards the door.

"Hurry back," Roy said loudly. Once outside the room I closed the door behind me. I sighed. I lingered for a minute waiting for the two to resume fighting but instead as I stood there listening for any signs of an argument I heard something very different.

"So you can remember?" I heard Havoc ask.

"Vaguely," Roy replied, "Listen, I need you to do something for me."

His tone of voice sounded like he normally sounded rather than the lost sort of tone he'd adopted over the last few hours.

"I need you to call…sandwich guy," Roy said uncertainly, "I need him to find out everything on… er… the attack. Where's… you know?"

"The Elrics?" Havoc asked. There was a pause. I imagined that Roy was nodding. "They've gone to Ed's mechanic to get his arm fixed. Major Armstrong was going with them."

With that I walked towards the stairs, down two floors to the Intensive Care Unit. I found George after some wondering about. She was in a room by herself with various pieces of apparatus round her. I was half expecting Buccaneer to be here as well if it wasn't for the fact he had gone back to the Briggs.

I rubbed my forehead. This was going to take a long while to get used to. I sighed loudly and turned to go back upstairs, however, as I turned I walked into a man.

"I'm sorry," I said as I jumped out of the way. The man rubbed his shoulder and pouted. He was wearing the military uniform apart from the jacket which was slung over one shoulder, revealing a black vest shirt. There was a tattoo on his right arm of a serpent of some kind. He had long brown hair up in a pony tail, with a few strands round his face.

"Ah, it's nothin'," he said with a shrug. He looked my up and down. He face lit up into a wide grin. "Wow."

I was confused by his last utterance but I bowed my head and went to leave.

"Hey, hold on a minute," he called. I stopped to look at him. He was still grinning, looking me up and down. "What's your name?"

"Riza Hawkeye," I replied, somewhat automatically. He held out a hand for me to shake.

"It's very nice to meet you, Miss Hawkeye," he said. I took his hand and shook it firmly. "It is miss, isn't it?"

"For the time being," I said, coldly. His grin didn't disappear. His eyes wondered to my hand.

"That's a pretty rock," he said, turning over my hand to look at my engagement ring, "He's a lucky man to wake up next to a beautiful face like yours every morning."

"Thank you," I said with a pause, "I really should get back to him."

"I understand," he said, releasing my hand gently, "I'm here to check up on my kid sister while I'm passing through."

He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. I looked behind him and then back at his face. He had blue eyes but I could recognise some of his features.

"George?" I asked cautiously. He nodded wildly.

"Yeah," he replied, "How did you know?"

"She's my fiancée's subordinate," I explained. He nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

"Me? I'm passing through," he said, "Actually I'm on my way to the stockade. Fun, fun."

"Oh," I said, "Why? What did you do?"

He laughed loudly.

"Well, we had an inspection with Colonel Raven, you know him, right?" he asked. I nodded, remembering back to when I first arrived in Central. "So the old geezer's poking his head around like a meerkat and then he decides to go into the underground for some reason. In Briggs, the underground is where all the machines are. So while he's down there he turns to me and says 'Can I get a better look?' and I take him up a level, manage to clip some rope onto his belt and through him off the balcony we're on. He didn't get the joke."

He looked at me as if he was expecting me to laugh but I just looked at him.

"At least he got a better look," I said dryly. He laughed loudly once more.

"Of course, without my little sis, I'm pretty useless," he went on, "She always got away and I would always get told off. It's not fair. I can't believe she's in intensive care. What a puff."

"She has pneumonia," I stated, "It's not her fault."

"Hmm," he said, "Listen I gotta be off. Can you give her this?"

He pulled out a slim box from his jacket pocket and handed it to me. I was cautious in taking it.

"It's not going to explode is it?" I asked. He shook his head. I took it carefully.

"Tell her…" he trailed off, "Something."

I nodded as he turned to walk down the hall.

"What's your real name?" I asked, "I doubt your mother named you Bulldog."

"It's Lloyd," he said, "But you didn't hear that from me, sweetheart."

I smiled as he disappeared round a corner. I took one final look at George before making my back up towards Roy's room. As I approached I could hear arguing. I sped up and rushed into the room to find Breda and Havoc yelling at each other. Roy was watching the argument bounce backwards between the two guys like it was a game of tennis.

Frowning, I shut the door with a loud click behind me. All eyes turned to me and the two arguing paled slightly.

"What's going on here?" I asked. Roy smirked as the guys entered a chorus of 'ums' and 'ers' and 'ahs'. In the end they sat down, with their heads hung.

"How was George?" Roy asked, brightly.

"She's unconscious at the moment," I replied, "But I saw her brother."

"Brother?" Roy asked, frowning slightly. I nodded. Havoc's head shot up. He avoided meeting my gaze and turned to look out of the window instead.

"Did you tell him she was injured?" Breda asked. Havoc nodded but still refused to look at any of us. Roy eyed him suspiciously as Breda folded his arms over his chest. "And why did you tell him?"

"Well," Havoc said, "I heard he was being shipped to stockade so why not pop in here before going there? I mean she hasn't seen him in months."

"And why should you care about her?" Breda asked. I walked to stand next to Roy's bed. He smiled at me and took my hang gently.

"Because," Havoc snapped, standing up, "Just because!"

He turned and walked out of the room. Breda blinked a few times before clicking his tongue. He looked over at Roy and me.

"What?" he asked. Roy looked at me.

"Tell me," Roy said, deadly serious, "Why did I hire a bunch of hormonal men?"

"You didn't know such a thing existed until you hired them, Roy," I replied. Roy smirked as Breda growled lightly.

**Look out for the next update after the 28th of May (I have 5 exams over four days which is harsh!) in the mean time enjoy yourselves while I'm stuck revising!**

**RSx**


	36. Don't Tease the Cat

**Hello! I'm back... Well, sort of. I have a slight break in exams so I should be able to update once more. The beauty of having pre-written chapters. Don't ask about the title, I'm not sure...**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned FMA, but unfortunately the Genie said no. **

**Don't Tease The Cat**

Roy stayed in hospital only for a few more days after he woke up. His head wound didn't seem to be that bad, apart from the memory loss. I knew he would be perfectly fine after seeing how much pleasure he took in greeting Alphonse as the Fullmetal Alchemist when the brothers returned to Central.

If it wasn't for Kit, I would've expected a fight between the two. I scowled at him as he reached out his hand to Al and greeted him back.

"Hey, Fullmetal," he said nonchalantly. Al looked between Ed and me before sheepishly replying.

"I'm not Fullmetal," Al replied in a high pitched voice.

"Sure you are," Roy went on, "I mean that is your little brother, right?"

Ed screamed some obscenities at Roy which I ignored for most part. Instead I took Kit upstairs to wrap him in something warm so that I could go and visit George in the hospital. I walked back downstairs to find Ed and Roy still fighting.

"I'm going out," I said. Roy's attention slipped onto me instantly.

"Wait, I'll come with you," he said. I looked at him and scowled.

"I don't need babying," I snapped. Ed and Al looked between us as if they were expecting a fight but before Roy could reply Ed pitched in.

"Would you mind taking Al?" Ed said, "He was asking about George this morning. Weren't you, Al?"

"Yes," Al said, edging away from Ed and Roy, "I wanted to see how the Lieutenant was doing."

I frowned across at Roy before nodding and leaving the house. Al followed a few steps behind me until we reached the end of the garden when he caught up to me.

"The Colonel really cares about you," he said. I looked up at him and sighed. "I'm sure that he didn't mean any harm by -"

"I know he wasn't, Al," I said, "But he can't afford the luxury of caring about me."

"Even if you weren't getting married, you would still be a target, Riza," Al said, "You're the closest thing to family he's got."

I smiled lightly: "You are too clever for your own good, Alphonse Elric. Let's hope I never get on your bad side."

George was in quite a state still although she had regained consciousness in the last week or so. When we arrived at her room we weren't surprised to see Havoc and Fuery sat round her bed. She was awfully pale. I sat down near to her and smiled warmly at her.

Her eyes wondered onto Kit. Abruptly she burst into a coughing fit. Fuery looked mortified as she continually coughed for a few minutes. Her body shook violently with each cough. Havoc jumped up to support her shoulders. When she stopped coughing her breath became raspy. She muttered her thanks to Havoc as he helped her back down into a laying position.

Her eyes turned to Al and she managed a weak smile.

"How goes it Al?" she asked. Her voice was hoarse. Al didn't reply, instead he hung his head like he was crying. George tilted her head to the side. "Where's Ed?"

"He's with the Colonel," Al replied quietly.

"And you two left them, together?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. I smiled at her. Al looked up. She entered another coughing fit. She held her chest as she coughed three to four times. She regained herself and sighed in relief. "Damn I hate this."

"I'm sorry," Al blurted, "If I hadn't had let Scar sneak up on me then -"

"Stop being stupid," George snapped. Havoc nodded. "It wasn't your fault. If anything it was Havoc's."

"What? Why me?" he asked. George turned her head to him and smirked.

"Because it would be cruel to blame Fuery and stupid to blame Riza," she replied, "You're the most logical choice."

"I'm glad to see that you're getting better," I said before Havoc could open his mouth to retaliate. "Last time I saw you, you seemed a little depressed."

"Ah," George said airily, "They've put me on some new drugs. Everything seems good at the moment."

"How long until they'll discharge you?" Fuery asked. George shrugged.

"When it stops feeling like my lungs are slowly turning into ash," she replied. She put her head back on the pillow and smiled at Al. He avoided her eye contact for a minute or two. "I'm glad Ed was able to patch you up. I was worried, you know. I mean, I was half expecting Armstrong to loose you or leave you on the train. Now that Mustang is out of the hospital it means I have to get better fast before Scar comes back for round two."

"No," Al snapped, "You can't fight him. Look what happened last time you did."

"Al," George said calmly, "Normally I wouldn't have taken him on after being injured like I was but I knew that both Havoc and Buca would cover for me."

She frowned at Al.

"Besides, I like the challenge," she went on, "That man is an enigma. I remember him vaguely before I joined the Briggs. Don't worry, Al. Next time I see him I'll show him what a Briggs soldier can do."

"But…" Al stammered. George held up her hand to silence him.

"I may be a sick woman at the moment," she stated, "But I'm a Briggs soldier. The strong survive, the weak die. If I can't brush off this measly illness then I don't deserve to wear my uniform."

"But…" Al said.

"George is too stubborn," I said, "Like Edward and Roy. Would you try reasoning with Ed?"

"I guess not," Al said, "I'd help him if I could."

"Then that's how you've got to be with George," I went on. I was suddenly aware George was glaring at me. "She might be sick at the minute but she'll bounce back. What's wrong?"

"Are you dragging me down to their levels?" she asked.

"Levels?" Havoc asked.

"Yeah, Mustang's is here," George explained raising her hand above her head, "And Ed's is here."

Her hand moved down the side of the bed. I scowled at her as she made fun of the poor alchemist, half glad he was here to hear her. I looked down at my lap where Kit was sat peacefully. He was staring at Al as if he was trying to figure out what he was.

I stood up.

"I should get back to Roy and Ed," I said, "To make sure they haven't killed each other."

"OK," George said. She looked over to Fuery who had also stood up.

"I'll go with Hawkeye," he said sheepishly. He edged towards me. Al stood too. He bowed at George.

"I hope you get better soon," he said. George smiled softly. We turned to exit, leaving George with Havoc. I watched them interact for a moment as I walked out of the ward. I noticed the serious look on her face as she turned to Havoc. Fuery caught me watching them.

"He's been sitting with her all week," Fuery said in an almost moan, "I don't know what's got into him but he's doing his work and coming here straight from work."

"Maybe he likes her," Al suggested. I sighed loudly.

"I think there's more going on here that meets the eye," I replied. The boys looked at me.

"Are you saying that there's something more between those two?" Fuery asked, worriedly. I shook my head.

"George's brother was sent to the stockade after an inspection up at the Briggs," I replied calmly, "Since when does Central inspect the Briggs?"

"I've never heard of it," Fuery said, "But I'm sure it's just to check up on the command there. Maybe General Armstrong is being promoted."

"I doubt that," I told Fuery, "General Armstrong loves her icy fortress. I doubt anything could take her away from there."

The two boys looked at each other, contemplating this. In the end they nodded and we continued out of the ward.

* * *

**Erg... will update soon, unless I get forced into revision ¬_¬ only 3 more exams which isn't too bad seeing as I had 8 originally. Warning: the next chapter is quite short and may contain traces of nuts. **

**RSx**


	37. Sharp

**Specially saved for Royai Day! Sorry It's so short and that I couldn't post before like I said I was. Exams and Pokemon don't mix. Yeah, Heart Gold stole my brain...**

**Anyway: I don't own FMA but I really enjoyed chapter 108 XD**

Sharp

"Who's a good boy?" I heard Roy say to Black Hayate as they played fetch in the back yard. I was upstairs changing Kit but I could hear the dog and Roy playing through a slightly ajar window near to me. I peered out as I heard Roy yell at the dog. I saw Hayate climbing over Roy, who was on his back on the grass, holding out Hayate's ball just out of reach. I held up Kit to show him his father.

"Look what sort of gene pool you've come from," I said seriously. Kit wriggled in my arms. He obviously didn't like looking down from so high. I held him tightly in my arms. "I'm not going to drop you."

The dog yelped. I glanced to see Hayate and Roy wrestling over the ball. The dog was bearing its teeth in a playful manner while Roy was grinning in his usual way whenever he had the upper hand.

"I'm not going to have to worry about you, am I?" I asked Kit, "But I'll be forever running after your father. How sad."

Kit giggled at me.

"At least he'll be a better father than your name sake," I continued. Kit wriggled in my arms and reached for my nose. He put one finger on it and giggled loudly. "That's my nose, Kit."

"Get off!" Roy shouted at the dog outside. I gave a heavy sigh and walked into the hallway. I could hear Roy yelling at the dog but I didn't pay much attention. I walked down the stairs, Kit bouncing lightly in my arms. In the living room I placed him in a small, material cot and tucked him in. I turned on my heel to go into the kitchen to get Kit's bottle. I glanced out of the back door to see if Roy and Hayate had killed each other yet, but Roy was stood up, ball in his right hand with Hayate jumping up, trying to reach it.

I walked towards the cupboard to find the bottle I was looking for but found it was already heating up in tub of boiling water. I carefully picked it out of the water, trying not to burn my fingers in the water. The milk was the right temperature. I smiled and returned to Kit in the living room. I was half way through feeding him when I became aware of Roy watching me from the doorway. He was smirking in his usual way.

"I'm glad to see you've recovered," I said, not amused by his stance or expression. I watched him walk towards us.

"May I?" he said, holding his arms up. I gently pulled the bottle from Kit's mouth and handed Roy the baby. I waited until Roy had Kit nicely settled in his arm before I gave him Kit's bottle. I watched Roy feed Kit.

"You OK?" Roy asked me, looking at me for a fleeting moment. I nodded. "You sure?"

"I think everything's catching up to me all of a sudden," I replied, rubbing my eye with my hand. Roy nodded like he understood.

"You've suddenly got nothing to do," he said, "Apart from look after Kit, but since he's such a good boy he doesn't take much looking after. Do you?"

I smirked as Kit reached upwards and tried to get his father's nose. Roy smiled down at his son and moved his head back as the child took a swing for his nose a moment later.

"Listen," Roy said, somewhat seriously, "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Oh," I said. Roy took the bottle out of Kit's mouth and moved the baby in his arms so that Kit was up right with his chest on Roy shoulder. Roy patted Kit gently on the back until Kit burped cutely. Chuckling slightly, Roy laid Kit back into his cot and covered him up. I watched him becoming increasingly nervous by the long pause.

"It's about the wedding," Roy said, his gaze still on Kit. I nodded. I waited for him to look up at me. Slowly his head turned up to face mine.

"What about it?" I asked.

"I want to move the date forward," Roy replied. I blinked several times before opening my mouth to ask him why. However, I found that no words came out of my mouth. "Wow, I didn't expect you to be so surprised."

"Sorry," I managed to mutter. Roy took a stride towards me and placed his hands on my shoulders. I automatically looked up into his eyes.

"I almost… I want Kit to be with you. I have a dangerous job and I don't want to tempt fate so as soon as George gets out of the hospital I think we should get married," Roy said, "If anything happens to me before then you'll loose Kit."

"Roy," I said weakly.

"I mean, we can get everyone here in a few weeks, right? I wasn't planning on a big wedding, just the odd family and friends. Will that be alright?" he asked. I nodded. He pulled me into a tight embrace. "Once we're married everything will be fine."

"Roy," I repeated, finding my voice was wavering slightly.

"Yes, Riza?" he asked.

"I… I love you," I replied lamely. Roy's grip tightened on me. He knew perfectly well that I wasn't going to say that but I suddenly found a bit of confidence in myself and ignored the little voices in my head.

Roy left for work the next morning. It took him some coaxing to leave his bed but he was gone just after eight o'clock. I spent the day looking after Kit and arranging for a wedding. It was about half four, after I had put Kit down for a nap that I found myself in the bathroom looking at Roy's razor. It had a sharp edge, very sharp. It could easily slice through any skin. Something strange came over me. I quickly unbuttoned my blouse and threw it uncaring onto the floor. I turned so that my back was facing the mirror. I put the blade onto my skin and took a deep breath.

Roy was going to kill me for doing this but it had to be done.

Determined I pulled the blade up, flinching as the skin was sliced. I did it again, once on the same side and then on the other. I looked at the blade and saw the blood on the tip. After a minute or two I felt queasy and my knees gave way. I was plunged into almost immediate blackness.

**I've decided to become a writer for Eastenderssince I right pretty close to the normal Eastenders thing in this Fic. It's not my fault... I blame Techno!**

**RSx**


	38. Talk of Cake

Here's the next chapter XD Hopefully it's enjoyable and longer than the last one. I must admit I struggled with this chapter a little but I think it worked out well... sort of...

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

**Talk of Cake**

"Riza!" I heard Roy's voice yell. His tone was mixed with anger, concern and sadness. My eyes slowly flickered open and I turned to look at him.

"Roy?" I asked quietly.

"Colonel?" asked another voice sounding a little like Edward's. Edward appeared in my eyesight two seconds later, holding a box. Roy took the box off of Ed sharply.

"Thanks, Fullmetal," he said. Ed was looking at me, his eyes full of concern.

"Is she OK?" Ed asked, crouching down.

"She will be," Roy replied, although he didn't sound certain. I found my head on the floor of the bathroom. I was laying on my stomach with my shirt off. As I came to, I felt a burning sensation in my lower back. I cringed as I felt Roy dab something on it with a dry cloth. I moved my head slightly, causing Roy and Ed's attention to slip from my back to my face.

"Riza? Riza? Are you OK?" Ed asked.

"I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't think I would pass out."

"How do you feel?" Ed asked loudly.

"Roy?" I asked. Roy remained silent as he continued to dab my back with whatever it was. After a few minutes he asked Ed for some bandages. Ed passed them to him quickly and Roy set about wrapping my back in these bandages. He helped me to my feet and walked me to the bed. He slowly lowered my down onto my front. Ed was looking at me concerned by what had happened. Roy walked over to one of the wardrobes and pulled out one of his shirts. He helped me put it on before he sat up straight and looked at me.

He wasn't looking at me, he was looking down at me. I met his gaze with a glare of my own. He was angry, I could tell but he hadn't spoken yet. Ed looked between us, deciding not to get involved. I glanced at Ed.

"I don't want anybody else's children," I stated. Ed seemed surprised by my words. He looked at Roy who merely nodded.

"I know," he said feebly, "But…"

He trailed off. He stood up and paced the room. Ed watched him carefully. I knew Roy was trying to calm himself down while trying to find the right words to say. Slowly he stopped pacing and looked at me.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I thought… I didn't think… Fullmetal, get out."

"I'm not going anywhere," Ed snapped, folding his arms in a stubborn manner. Roy shrugged and climbed onto the bed beside me.

"I'm angry," Roy said, "But I also understand. Who knows what doing that could have done to you. You should have asked-"

"I already asked and you said no," I snapped, "Damn it, Roy. I don't need lecturing about this. It's my decision so deal with it."

Roy rubbed my shoulders and gently kissed my head.

"I wish you would have told me," he muttered as he pulled away.

"It was an impulsive move," I admitted, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," came a voice from the doorway, "Everyone's sorry."

I turned my head a little so I could see George stood in the doorway, wearing her usual civilian attire. I blinked a few times, thinking I was imagining things until I realised how pale she looked and that she was wheezing slightly. She coughed loudly before slumping on the door frame.

"Take it easy," Ed said, "Don't tell me you left Kit with Havoc?"

"I left him with Al and Hayate, technically," George replied. Her gaze travelled onto me and she gave me a weak smile. "You should be thankful, Mustang."

"Why's that?" Roy asked, sitting up and glaring at her.

"At least she got her birth control sorted," George replied with a shrug. I looked at Ed who had decided he was going to pretend he didn't understand what George had said. I heard Roy chuckle slightly beside me.

"I suppose," he said. He bent down and kissed my head once more. George coughed weakly again and made to leave the room.

"Nice to see you, Riza," George yelled from the hallway. She coughed once again before her footsteps disappeared towards the stairs. After ten minutes or so, Ed disappeared, finally deeming it safe to leave me alone with Roy.

"At least you didn't cut them too deep," Roy said as he rubbed my lower back.

"I'm sorry," I found myself saying once again, "The thought of having that transmutation circle on my back made me feel like I wasn't human. Like I didn't belong to you."

He kissed my head and jumped off of the bed.

"You just wanted a day off from looking after Kit," he remarked with a grin, "What a shame, after an accident my fiancé had, I had to take a day off to make sure she was OK and then arrange a babysitter until she was OK again."

"Thank you, Roy," I said. Roy looked at me and smiled.

"Just don't ever let me find you passed out on the floor again, OK?" he asked. I nodded until my back twinged painfully.

"Does this mean?" I asked, "With George being out of the hospital?"

"Three weeks," Roy replied with a nod. I smiled as he left the room. I was going to be Mrs Mustang in three weeks. I felt butterflies in my stomach, feeling instantly like a one of Roy's fan girls.

"You're holding him wrong!"

"I think I know how to hold a baby!"

"You're going to drop him!"

"I am not! Just stop crowding me!"

"You're going to drown him!"

"Here! If you're going to-"

There was a few loud hacking coughs. I sat up in bed and looked around the room. I rubbed my head.

"Hey, are you alright?"

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and slowly sat up, ignoring the pain in my lower back. I looked towards the bathroom door to see Roy leaning out of it with a toothbrush in his mouth. He shrugged and returned into the bathroom. I heard him spit into the basin and turn the tap on. He turned the tap off and walked out of the room with a towel in his hands.

"You left our son with Havoc and Breda?" I asked, annoyed.

"And George," Roy added. That explained the coughing and the, now, silence downstairs. Roy froze as there was a loud crash downstairs.

"Ah!"

"Breda?" Roy asked. I nodded.

"Breda," I replied. Roy chuckled as he sat on the bed behind me to put some socks on. "So why are Havoc and Breda here?"

"Hell if I know," Roy said with a sigh, "I think Breda tagged along with Havoc to see how George was or something. That's all I heard him mutter when he arrived."

"Oh?" I asked. I looked at him.

"It's going to be one long day," Roy moaned, "Can I leave Breda with you for a while?"

"If you want," I replied with a shrug, "I thought Havoc got baby duty, not Breda."

"Yeah," Roy said jumping to his feet, "But I'm trying my best to separate Havoc and George for a while."

"Why's that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Roy pulled on his jacket and fastened it quickly. He walked towards me and helped me to my feet. I cringed as I stood up straight. Roy steadied me. I looked up at him. "You don't think they've got feelings for each other, do you?"

"Feelings?" Roy asked. He looked confused at me like he'd never thought about them in that way. "Havoc can't keep a girl for a week."

"That's not what I asked," I snapped. Roy chuckled again. He kissed my forehead.

"The thought didn't even cross my mind," Roy admitted, "But the guys have been… misbehaving a little. I'm thankful that George isn't there at the minute otherwise they would've all been pranked horribly."

Roy took his arms from around me and I stood awkwardly on the spot for a second before I took a few steps towards the door.

"Another reason why I wanted Breda to stay here is so that he can help with the planning," Roy said. I looked over my shoulder at him. Roy met my gaze and gave me a grin. "He is the best at tactical planning. You try beating him at chess."

"Get that thing away from the baby!"

"Yeah," I said returning Roy's grin, "He maybe a great tactical planner but what does he know about decorations and seating arrangements?"

"He knows about cake," Roy joked. We laughed as Roy slung an arm round my back and led me down the stairs.

The first thing I noticed was that George was sat on the sofa with Kit in her arms, peacefully drinking from his bottle. Havoc was sat beside her with his arms on the back of the sofa and laughing hysterically as Hayate pranced round a chair that Breda was stood on. Breda looked at Hayate with a look of utter terror. I could see him visibly shaking. George was paying Kit more attention than her colleagues. She still looked deathly pale and thin. She glanced up at me.

"Here comes your parents, Kit," she told the baby in her arms, "Hopefully you won't grow into a total goof like your father."

"Careful," Roy replied, "You're not in hospital at the minute."

She coughed loudly, quickly passing Kit to Havoc. Havoc jumped as she placed Kit onto his lap and quickly moved his arms to hold the poor baby. George coughed a few times, each cough making her body shake violently. I walked over to Havoc and took Kit off of him so he could help George. She stopped coughing after a minute or so. She looked weakly towards Havoc.

"You're going to be late," she told Havoc in a matter of fact tone. Havoc nodded slowly as he rose to his feet.

"Sure," Havoc said, rubbing his head. He watched her for a few more seconds before looking at Roy.

"Breda, would you mind staying with Riza and George for a while?" Roy asked Breda, as he pulled on his black coat. Breda nodded slowly, wondering why he was being asked this. "I'll be home around six. Havoc and Breda can take George home. By the way George, a Mary rang up the office yesterday asking if you were alright and if she could come up and stay with you until you're fit."

"And you said?" George asked, raising an eyebrow. Her tone was annoyed but her face was neutral.

"I told her that it wouldn't be necessary," Roy replied, "However, Havoc will be collecting her from the train station at four."

"Havoc," George said, sliding her eyes onto the blonde lieutenant, "Touch her and you die. Got it?"

"Like I would touch her," Havoc snapped, folding his arms across his chest, "I mean… Sure."

George glared at him before breaking down into a coughing fit. Breda turned to Roy.

"Is there anything I'm supposed to do here, Colonel?" Breda asked, "Set a perimeter? Gather intel?"

"No," Roy replied, "But you will be doing some very important planning."

"Of course, sir," Breda said with a nod. He paused before adding: "What sort of planning?"

"A wedding," Roy replied, smirking. Breda's jaw dropped.

"A…A wedding?" Breda asked. Roy nodded, "But… But… I'm a trained officer not a wedding planner."

"Breda's a wedding planner," chorused Havoc and George. Breda shot Havoc a dark look but he was too busy chanting to take any notice.

"True," Roy replied airily, "But it's in three weeks. Who else can possibly plan and co-ordinate such a thing in a week. You were the East's best strategist, weren't you?"

"Yes, sir," Breda replied.

"Then surely this will be an easy thing in comparison," Roy said, "Unless, you think it will be too hard?"

"Not at all, sir," Breda said. I glanced at George who was smirking. "I will accept my new mission, sir."

"Very good, Lieutenant," Roy said, "Let's go, Havoc."

"Sure, Chief," Havoc replied, following Roy as he left through the door.

"Oh, and George?" Roy called, "Don't kill Breda."

"Fine," George replied. Havoc grinned as he closed the door behind him. As soon as the door was closed, Breda rubbed his hands together.

"I need paper, the phone directory and a cup of coffee," he said. I nodded as I limped towards the kitchen.

"I'll find the paper and directory," George said, "Come on Hayate, show me where they are."

The dog barked and ran towards the stairs. Breda waltzed into the kitchen, pushing me out of the way so that he could make the coffees. He glanced at me as he spooned some instant coffee powder into three cups.

"So I was thinking, a hundred guests and a four tier cake," he said. I merely smirked.

**Hehe, the wedding planning begins! Woo! Anyway, hope you've enjoyed this chapter XD**

**RSx**


	39. How To Torment The Stand In

**Thanks to all the people who have been reviewing this XD It makes me feel loved. Anyway, on with the story...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. **

**How to Torment the Stand in**

"I love guys who wear uniforms," I heard a girl shriek from the front door. It was opened a few seconds later by a flustered looking Havoc. Havoc walked into the living room with Breda not far behind them. Both seemed to be wearing the same expression. They looked worried, embarrassed and amused all at the same time. Behind Breda there was a young girl with blue eyes and rich brown hair. She was smiling widely as she entered the room. "Wow, are you guys this rich?"

"This is our Colonel's house," Breda explained. Havoc saw me feeding Kit on the sofa.

"Hey, Hawkeye," Havoc greeted, "How's the baby this morning?"

"He's a little restless," I replied. Havoc smirked.

"Where's the Chief?" Havoc asked. I nodded my head towards the stairs. Havoc looked to the stairs. "Still not ready? He takes an awful long time to get dressed."

I nodded. Kit gurgled. I adjusted him in my arms, shushing him as I did so. Havoc hovered round me for a few minutes longer until the woman rushed over to my side.

"He's adorable!" she yelled. Her eyes became wide and overly bright. "He's such a cutie pie!"

I noticed that Havoc glared at her, before clearing his throat. He stood up straight and looked round the room.

"Hey Breda," Havoc called to Breda, who had made his way into the kitchen.

"Yeah!"

"Where's George?" Havoc asked. I looked around, noticing for the first time that George wasn't present. Breda popped his head out of the kitchen door and shrugged.

"Hey!" I heard Roy call from upstairs. It sounded like he was shouting out of the window. Havoc walked towards the front door. "What do you think you're doing hanging around outside!"

There was no answer.

"Get inside, now," Roy ordered. The front door opened, almost hitting Havoc in the face if he hadn't have jumped back in time. George was stood in the door way looking pale and tired. The woman near to me twirled round and shrieked loudly in joy. George gave her a hard glare and she fell silent almost immediately.

"Anya, you're such a grouch," the woman snapped, pouting like a three year old. George seemed to ignore her and instead looked apologetically at Havoc. Havoc moved to one side to let her past.

"Good morning, Riza, Kit," George said. Her voice sounded raspy, more so than usual. She shot the woman another glare. "Stop yelling around the baby. You'll make it deaf."

The woman pouted again. She folded her arms across her chest and turned her back to George. George rolled her eyes.

"This is Mary Asquith," George introduced, "She's my half sister."

"Sister," Mary corrected.

"Half sister," George replied. Mary turned round.

"How come Bulldog is your brother but I am your half sister?" Mary snapped.

"Because I don't want any affiliation to _your _father," George snapped. The siblings began to bicker amongst themselves. I watched the conversation bounce back wards and forwards. Havoc slumped onto the sofa next to me.

"Makes you glad you're an only child, doesn't it?" Havoc asked. I nodded. Roy walked down the stairs to the sound of arguing. He looked round in a confused fashion before putting his military jacket on.

"Morning Havoc," Roy greeted, "Breda in the kitchen?"

"As always," Havoc replied. Roy glanced at George and Mary. He shook his head before wondering into the kitchen. Havoc yawned as the girls continued to yap.

"At least I have a father," Mary yelled suddenly. George waved a finger at Mary as if to tell her otherwise.

"You don't have a father," George said, "You have a demon."

"You're so childish," Mary snapped. George shrugged.

"And you're so much better," George retorted, "Mustang! You're going to be late!"

"Fine!" Mustang yelled back. I sighed heavily. I looked around the room. From George and her bickering sister to Havoc lounging on the sofa with a lolly in his mouth. Kit was drinking from his bottle in my arms. I felt like I was suddenly in a soap opera with all the different characters buzzing around me. I gently took Kit's bottle out of his mouth and replaced it with his pacifier*. He began to drift off. I looked towards George and Mary, who were still arguing. I suddenly felt the urge to pass Kit to Havoc and stuff pacifiers in their mouths as well. Before I could do so I heard Roy's voice.

"Havoc, would you mind staying here today?" Roy asked as he walked back into the living room. He had a slice of toast in his mouth.

"Sure," Havoc replied, "Any particular reason why?"

"I need to take Hayate and I don't want to leave my fiancée unprotected," Roy replied.

"I'm replacing the dog?" Havoc asked, mortified.

"Hey, at least you're not a wedding planner," Breda commented, popping up from behind Roy. Havoc scowled.

"George, Mary," Roy said, raising his voice so the girls could hear him, "Don't kill each other or drive Riza insane."

"Fine," George said airily.

"Yes, mister," Mary replied with a mock salute. Roy walked over to me and gave me a peck on the cheek.

"Have a good day," I told him, "Work hard."

"Don't worry," he replied. He stroked Kit's head. He stood up straight and whistled loudly. Hayate came scampering down the stairs. "Come on then."

"Seeya Havoc," Breda said, "I would hate to be you."

Havoc scowled as Breda left. Once the door was closed Havoc looked towards me.

"What does Breda mean by that?" he asked. George and I exchanged glances before George smirked.

"Get your shoes on Riza," she told me. I nodded.

Strangely enough, Mary walked with me as we walked into the city centre. I was pushing Kit's pram where he was sleeping. Behind us was George and Havoc. They were talking about work. Mary kept glancing at Kit.

"So you've had a baby before you got married?" she asked abruptly. I nodded. "Wow, so Kit's like Bulldog and Anya then?"

"How so?" I asked, growing slightly annoyed.

"Because mom had them before she was married," Mary said, "You can't really tell with Bulldog but you can with George. Both my parents have blue eyes."

"George has hazel," I replied. Mary nodded. "Kit isn't your usual baby."

"That's what every parent says," Mary said.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Havoc yelled. Mary and I turned to look at him. George raised an eyebrow. "We're going dress hunting?"

"We're meeting Gracier and Alisha in five minutes," I told him. Havoc's jaw dropped to the floor. George smirked before leaving him behind.

"Breda the Wedding Planner, Havoc the Fashion Critic," she muttered. Havoc glared at her.

"That's it! I'm never getting married!" he yelled, waving his arms around in a rather comical way.

"That's what Breda, Falman and Fuery say," George said. Havoc scowled at her.

We turned the corner into the dress shop where Breda had arranged to get our dresses fitted. Strangely enough, both Havoc and George paused, looking pained, before entering the shop. Mary tugged on George's hand to make her walk through the door. In turn George grabbed Havoc's sleeve and pulled him behind her. They stood awkwardly in the door way for a moment or two until Havoc looked across at George.

"Why are you so nervous?" he asked.

"I'm not nervous," George replied, "I'm having childhood flash backs."

"Oh," Havoc replied. George shuffled towards Mary and began to whisper something to her. Mary just giggled.

My attention slipped from George and Mary to the door as Gracier and Alisha slipped into the shop.

"Auntie Riza!" Alisha chorused. She hugged my knees. I patted her head.

"Hi there, Alisha. Do you want to see Kit?" I asked. I bent down and picked her up. I raised her just high enough to see Kit. She gasped in surprise.

"He's gotten bigger!" Alisha yelled.

"Quiet down, Alisha," Gracier warned. Gracier turned to Havoc. "Shouldn't you be at work, Lieutenant."

"I'm wishing I was there," Havoc replied.

For the next few hours Havoc sat on a chair near to the door, chewing on a lolly stick. Most of the time George was sat next to him, cradling Kit in her arms. I kept poking my head out of the changing rooms to check on Kit. Havoc continued to chew on his lolly stick for most of the day. Half way through the day I glanced at the couple to find both of them sat chewing on lolly sticks, rocking Kit to sleep in his pram with identical bored expressions on their faces.

It wasn't until George had to be fitted that I realised how valuable Mary was. George proved to be the most difficult woman to get into a dress, no matter the occasion. She made a sudden dash for the door, only to be stopped by Mary's super speed. After a good ten minutes of forcing her into her bridesmaid dress, the seamstress could adjust the length and the width.

"Er…" the seamstress said when she noted how thin George was. She looked at George who looked just as surprised.

"Make it an inch too big," George replied, "I'll eat my weight back on."

"Are you sure?" the seamstress asked, "That's still a dangerous weight."

"I've always been thin but I am quite heavy," George replied, "It's all muscle."

"I thought military women where always a little more stockier than normal women," Mary said airily, "You know from the use of their muscles."

"Some are," George replied, "But I don't work on muscles. Speed and stamina are my thing."

"Hmm," Mary said with a childish smirk, "That was mom's speciality too, wasn't it?"

Gracier snapped her head up as she heard George slip into Drachmarian. Alisha looked at George in awe.

"Mommy, what did Georgie say?" Alisha asked her mother. Gracier's eyes widen.

"I'm not sure," Gracier replied, "I don't speak that language."

"It's nothing nice," I said. I could feel Gracier's unease radiating off of her. Obviously Gracier didn't trust Drachmarians. "George used to work on the border of Drachma."

"Oh?" Gracier said, "But she's Amestresian?"

"Born and bred in the East, Gracier," George replied, "Just ask Mary."

"Yeah! Eastern and proud!" Mary yelled. Gracier nodded but there was still some unease present in her facial expression. George became too preoccupied with the seamstress to notice Gracier's worry. I turned to Alisha.

"Why don't you go and show Uncle Havoc your dress?" I asked the young girl. Alisha jumped up and rushed towards the front of the shop.

"Uncle Jean! Do you like my dress?" I heard her yell.

"Something wrong, Gracier?" I asked. Mary turned to look at Gracier with a small smile present on her face.

"It's nothing," Gracier replied, "I just don't like Drachmarians much."

"Neither do I," George agreed, "But fire whiskey makes it all worth it."

"I used to live in a small Northern Town called Yukinom," Gracier explained. George glanced over her shoulder, frowning. "When I was five we had to evacuated because the Drachmarian army got through Briggs and attacked the town. My father was one of those who stayed behind and fought off the army. I never saw him again."

For a minute nothing was said. Mary's smile had faded. Even the seamstress stopped to look sympathetically at Gracier.

"They put up a statue in the old town centre three years ago," George replied, "Commissioned by Armstrong, built by the soldiers of Briggs to pay tribute to those who lost their lives."

Gracier looked at George.

"That's why they hired people like me," George went on, "I work for Briggs but I used to work outside on the glacier fields reporting on Drachma and sending the early warnings."

"I thought you said you were a body guard," I snapped.

"Special Ops," George replied, "Trained in several areas. Er… miss? That pin's in my leg."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the seamstress said hurriedly.

"Doesn't mommy look pretty, Uncle Jean?" Alisha's voice broke the uncomfortable silence. Havoc was being dragged into the changing room by his sleeve. His other hand covered his eyes.

"Alisha, I told you I couldn't be back here," Havoc moaned.

"You are the fashion critic, Havoc," George replied. Havoc seemed to forget where he was and began yelling at George while waving his free hand around like a maniac. George gave him a knowing look before he realised what he had done. Mary giggled.

"Can I go back to Kit now?" he asked finally.

"Uh uh," Alisha replied, "You haven't said if mommy looks pretty or not."

"Gracier, you look wonderful," Havoc replied, looking towards Gracier. Gracier bowed her head and said her thanks. Havoc cautiously looked towards George who was still being fitted. "Man you've lost a lot of weight."

"Tell me about it," George replied, "Do you think Breda help fatten me up?"

"Maybe that would be a little extreme," Havoc replied.

"I need an inch," George said, "You can even see my ribs. Wanna look?"

"I'm good thanks," Havoc said taking a step backwards, "Kit … er… I'm going now."

"Uncle Jean!" Alisha wailed as Havoc practically ran out of the changing room. Mary looked at her older sister in an annoyed sort of way. George ignored it.

"Alisha, don't bring Havoc into the changing room," Gracier told Alisha, "It's not fair on people getting dressed."

"Why, mommy?" Alisha asked. I stifled a laugh at poor Alisha's innocence. Gracier shot a look at me before smirking.

"Just wait, Riza," she warned, "Three years and you'll be explaining everything like this to Kit."

I sighed. That was true.

"Just as long as he asks me and not Roy, I don't really mind," I replied. Gracier could only laugh.

**I'll post the next chapter when I have time to. I hope you've enjoyed this chapter though XD If you can't wait that long then I'll give you a sneak peak of the next chapter, "The Plot Thickens".**

**Random Quote: **

"54 67 82 43," she told the phone, "The Queen, please."

**RSx**


	40. The Plot Thickens

**Hehe, this chapter may seem a little random I have to admit but it's the introduction to the second arc of this Fic. I don't know why this fic has grown a second arc but I don't right care. Hopefully they will follow on from each other. **

**Anyway, here's the new chapter. Hope you enjoy and hope it's not too out there.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA but I feel completely lost now that both the Anime and Manga has finished... my life is empty...**

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The Plot Thickens

It was good to see George finally recovering. She still couldn't run or do anything that tired her out. Even lifting heavy things was out. She returned to work a week ahead of schedule, but this was probably due to Mary driving her insane. I learnt that Mary was one of three sisters and had a lot to compete for. George, having left for the military at the age of sixteen, didn't have the same competitiveness for attention as Mary did.

About a week from the wedding, I returned home with Mary, Gracier and Alisha to find George on the phone to someone. Roy's coat was draped on the sofa and there were several pairs of boats by the door. I looked at George to ask he what she was doing on the phone when she suddenly began yelling down the line.

"What do you mean 'dangerous'? I've been on these pills since I was seventeen and three different ones before then! How come they're suddenly dangerous?" she yelled, making Alisha jump out of her skin and the rest of us flinch. Even Kit, who had been soundly asleep in his pram opened his eyes and looked round in confusion. "So they're going to turn my insides to ash? Well at the minute that what it feels like anyway!"

There was a thunder of footsteps and Havoc appeared at the bottom of the stairs, looking worriedly across at George. His gaze turned onto me.

"Hey Hawkeye," he greeted, "Sorry, the Chief needed to find some info on alchemy. George is calling her doctor for a prescription. I think she is."

"Fine then," George said, her voice dipping slightly, "Thank you doctor, thank you very much."

She put the phone down and then picked it back up. She dialled a different number and looked across at us.

"Hey, had fun shopping?" she asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "Your dress is ready."

George nodded and then began to talk into the receiver.

"54 67 82 43," she told the phone, "The Queen, please."

"Who she phoning now?" I asked Havoc.

"I have no idea," Havoc replied, "Can I make you a drink, ladies?"

"Tea, please, Jean," Gracier said.

"I'll help," Alisha said.

"Tea for me too," Mary said. I nodded at Havoc.

"Three teas, coming right up," Havoc said, "Let's getting making, Alisha."

"Jean's so good with kids," Gracier commented, "Especially Alisha."

"It's because he's mentally ten himself," I replied, "All of Roy's office is."

A loud noise emanated from the phone. I saw George holding the phone at arms length away from her ear. When the noise had subsided she put the receiver back to her ear.

"Thanks for the deafness," she snapped, "I'm only phoning for a favour. I need pills and the idiot Centralite doctors won't give 'em me!"

"This over pills?" Mary asked, "What sort of pills?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," George said sarcastically, "I need to put on weight and it's not happening seeing as I can't keep food down. I need those pills. I need 'em. I suppose if you wanna hoard them all to yourself, I can't stop you. I mean how often do you rendezvous with-"

There was more shouting from the phone but George could only smirk.

"Listen, Queenie," George said, "Just ask Amara, Jesse or Frankie to send me some. OK? Anyway, I heard that my brother was in the stockade. What did he do now?"

Havoc returned into the room holding a tray with three cups filled with tea, a small jug of milk and a pot of sugar. He set it down on the coffee table. He looked towards George. She had grown quiet but she was frowning. Alisha walked into the room holding three small spoons. She nudged Havoc.

"Uncle Jean, you forgot these," she chorused. Havoc rubbed his head and laughed.

"I guess I did," he said.

"That's weird," George said, "Maybe I could have look into it for you. Uh, Yeah, but… Listen Queenie, I don't care. My brother is stuck in that hell hole for no good reason! What are Centralites doing in Briggs anyway? Dumping more there will only result in a massacre and not even Eastern officers!"

"Something's going on at Briggs," Havoc whispered at me, "A lot of people have been shipped there unexpectedly."

"That's weird," I replied, "Do you know why?"

"Not a clue," Havoc replied.

"I'll see what I can find out from here," George said, "Say hi to Buca for me. Seeya later General, bye. And send me those pills. Bye."

"General?" Havoc yelled as George put the phone back on its perch. "I thought you were talking to an old friend."

"Me and Queenie are old friends… well rivals," George replied, "By the way. She says that there's been at least five hundred Central and Southern soldiers sent to Briggs. There's no reason for it but General Haruko has taken over strategic planning up there."

"Haruko?" I asked, "Why would they send him up there?"

"It's not that I'm worried about," George went on. She hushed her voice so that only Havoc and I could hear. "They've transferred three state alchemists up there. Briggs is the only command renowned for not having Alchemists there. The Fuhrer himself assigned them there. And what's more, the Glacier Guards, what I used to be, have been assigned to different commands. Bulldog is in the stockade, I'm here; Sinclair, Weston and Gilligan have been moved West; Heathcliff, Jefferson and Aton are South bound and Sawtell, Innes and Nicholes have become the bottom feeders of the East."

"Why would they take off the look out scouts?" I asked. George shook her head.

"I'm going to have to investigate," George replied. She walked back to the phone and dialled a number. After a pause she took a deep breath. "54 67 82 43. I need to talk to Second Lieutenant Paul Sinclair regarding the death of his younger brother, Sergeant Joseph Sinclair."

"The kid Scar killed," Havoc asked. George nodded. She straightened up.

"Lieutenant Sinclair? Captain Churchill from Central Command," George said very professionally, "I am phoning you due to some information about your brothers death. I would like to take some details from you about your brother… Fine then. I'll call you at that time instead, yes, sixteen hundred hours. Thank you Lieutenant."

She put the phone down. She looked towards Havoc and me. Havoc turned and went back up the stairs to relay the information to Roy. George and I looked at each other.

"So my dress is ready, you say?" she asked. She directed me to the sofa where the other girls were sat drinking their tea. George picked up Alisha and sat her on her knee. George's ability to suddenly switch off from work was truly amazing. Her mask didn't even falter when Havoc returned downstairs and rushed out of the front door.

"Men," was all she said.

I didn't know how George managed to get rid of Mary but it involved Gracier taking her away along with Alisha. The ladies were about to leave when Havoc returned with Fuery and Falman. Breda, as I understood was upstairs with Roy. Roy had made an appearance during Havoc's absence and was sat beside me when Havoc and the others arrived.

By four o'clock Fuery had set up the phones on a secure line. Kit was asleep in his cot. Every one was gathered around the phone. There were two receivers. One which George would use and another that Falman would use. Roy was wearing Feury's head phones. Slowly George reached for the phone and dialled a number. Instantly someone picked up. I leant into Roy too see if I could hear anything from his head phones. Breda and Havoc looked at George.

"Sinclair?" she asked.

"Roger," came the reply, "Is there any reason you decided to call out of the blue?"

"I was hassling Queenie for drugs earlier and she mentioned what was going on," George replied airily. I could hear Sinclair laughing madly over the line. Roy glared at George, thankful that this was a very secure line. "What got my brother sent down to hell?"

"Apart from almost killing Raven, nothing much," Sinclair explained, "We reckoned something was going on. Straight after you were sent to Central we were called back to Briggs. They managed to get Bulldog out and down to the Stockade, bearing in mind they did that while Buccaneer was down with you. Something's going on Vee and I don't like it. I mean there's fifteen other people who could have baby sat Mustang, why choose you? Your much better trained as an assassin than a body guard. It's like getting a State Alchemist to baby sit a toddler, if you know what I mean."

"I hear you," George replied, earning a frown from Roy.

"I think they sent you to Central for a reason," Sinclair went on, "I mean without the greater of two tricksters, there wasn't anything standing in the way of splitting us up. They obviously know how loyal you are to Buccaneer, likewise with Bulldog and Queenie, and decided to move you so you didn't pose a threat. I mean even here, we're with guys we don't really get along with. I'm with Weston and Gilligan, for crying out loud. Why bother putting us with people we don't care much for rather than grouping us off with people we work well with?"

"And I'm stuck with Flameboy because?" George asked.

"Hell, Vee," Sinclair snapped, "Your brother and Buccaneer pretty much ensured that people liked you and worked with you."

"Suppose," George replied. She tapped the floor with her knuckle. I watched as she frowned into the phone. Sinclair had gone quiet. George didn't speak either until Sinclair spoke again.

"Is it me or is it too warm here?" Sinclair asked. George groaned.

"Stuff the heat, Sinclair, I want information!" George yelled, "Tell me what is Haruko doing up in Briggs!"

"Apparently he's taken over strategic planning," Sinclair went on, "A new position I may add. Before hand everything leadership was related to Queenie but now I think they could be trying to shift her from office in the North and move her to Central. I think they are trying to break up her premiership."

"Well that sucks," George replied, "What will they do?"

George seemed to pale instantly. She rubbed her eyes.

"This is getting way off," she went on, "Her premiership is based around Miles, Buca and the Glacier Guards leader. They can easily polish off Miles, Buca can be removed and they've already gotten rid of Bulldog. This is getting messy."

I heard Roy swear next to me. He was obviously on the same level as George. George shuffled uncomfortably.

"Thanks Sinclair, you're a real pal for filling in the blanks," George said her voice turning softer, "I'll work on saving my brother's butt for the time being. Until then I expect you to start making new friends. I know that's hard for you but when you change schools you have to make new friends. After all who will you go drinking with?"

"True," Sinclair replied, "Keep safe, Vee."

"You too," George said, "Vee over and out."

She put down the phone and looked towards Mustang. Everyone seemed to be looking grave about the conversation. Falman began jotting down what had been said in Roy's code while Havoc and Breda muttered uncertainly to each other. George sighed loudly.

"What is the Fuhrer planning?" Roy asked, "I could do with someone up at Briggs but…"

"The Fuhrer won't do anything," I said sternly, "Sinclair said that Armstrong had a premiership and that the leader of the Glacier Guards was one of that premiership and also Buccaneer was."

"Yeah, so?" Breda asked.

"What do they have in common?" I asked. I looked across at George. Everyone looked at her too.

"So why would the Fuhrer assign a major player to Central with one of the highest ranking State Alchemists?" Breda asked, "It's nonsensical."

George only managed a small smile. She looked towards the floor as if she was suddenly disgusted at herself.

"Because the Fuhrer expected her to kill the Chief," Havoc replied, "That's why."

George stood up and turned her back to the rest of us. She raised her left hand to her chin as if she was thinking. Breda was glaring daggers at her. Havoc was staring at the floor in front of him. Falman was trying to write but he was trembling far too much to write while Fuery was busying himself by putting his gear away. I looked at Roy. His expression was grim but there was the familiar fire in his eyes.

"Be that as it may," Roy said, "We're in this together now. There's one thing I'm not sure about."

"What's that, sir?" Falman asked.

"What do the people who killed Hughes have to do with all this?" Roy said. I nodded.

"There's a connection," I said. Roy nodded. We sat in a tense silence for a good few more minutes until I felt Roy relax next to me. I heard Kit cooing from his cot. I smiled as I got to my feet and walked towards the cot. I picked up the baby and cradled him in my arms. I looked at the guys only to see them nod at each other.

"Well whatever it is, Colonel," Breda said, "There's no doubt it's going to be difficult. You'll need us to help you out."

"You can count on us," Fuery said with a sheepish smile. George nodded too and turned to face Roy.

"We're behind you all the way, sir," Falman said.

"Whatever it takes so that we have a peaceful country, for Kit and Alisha," Havoc went on. He put his arm round George's shoulders and grinned goofily. He nudged George to say something.

"Central Command doesn't stand a chance against us," George responded, "I'll help you in what ever way I can, even if it's just babysitting your son from time to time."

"Thanks all of you," Roy said. His smile said all of it.

"No problem," Havoc said cheerfully. At this point Kit decided it was a good idea to babble and blow bubbles. I noticed George slip her arm round Havoc.

"For the future," she said. Havoc nodded once again.

"For our future," Roy corrected. And with that the guys, and George, saluted Roy as if they were making a promise. I looked back down at Kit and couldn't help but let myself smile.

**Back onto the normal story in the next chapter when the Rehearsal Dinner takes place. Random Quote: ****"If George doesn't return, we know who did it," he muttered.**

**RSx**


	41. The Rehearsal

**I forgot to mention last time that there's a poll on my profile about the second arc. It's something I've been asking myself for a while and I can't decide. So I'm asking you instead. If you've got the time please can you have a looksie and vote :)**

**Anyway, back onto the story.**

**I don't FMA, but I do own a small red panda soft toy named Furfax. Don't know why that has any relavance but...**

**The Rehearsal**

A few nights before the wedding we had the rehearsal dinner. This was probably the one thing that I was looking forward to the least. I was sat at a table full of my closest friends and family alongside Roy's family. I was some what thankful that my friends were pretty much his friends, Rebecca perhaps being the only exception. I don't know how it happened but Havoc became sandwiched between George and Rebecca. He looked ever so pale throughout the dinner. My grandfather was sat on George's other side. The two seemed to get along very well, even my grandmother seemed to like George. I got the feeling that Rebecca didn't like George much, but thankfully George also seemed to pick up on it. They didn't speak much and George even avoided Havoc for most of the night until she went to look after Kit for me and Havoc drifted across to her.

I was too busy talking with Chris to notice that both Havoc and George had disappeared from the table to check on Kit. I had heard him cry a few minutes before but he was hushed before I could get away from my future mother-in-law. Chris took a shine to my Grandfather and my Grandmother almost instantly. I was somewhat glad by this.

"Military men are so hard to keep tabs on," Chris was saying, "This one kept me guessing for years until he went into your command, General. Even then I heard from him every now and again. At least if he's in Central I can keep an eye on him."

"When we were first married he disappeared off to war. I didn't hear from him for years. Then I heard the war was over and I started counting the money I'd receive to look after the little ones, when suddenly he appears. His letters arrived a week after him!" my grandmother laughed. Chris smirked.

"The only letter I received from Roy during Ishval was delivered about six months after the war ended," Chris said.

"It's because they don't care much for correspondence," my grandfather explained, "They slow down mail just in case there's a mole in the ranks. I wonder what it's like up in the North."

My grandfather turned to George only to find that she and Havoc were missing. Rebecca glanced around.

"Wonder where they went," my grandmother said.

"I thought I heard the baby cry," Chris replied, "Maybe they went to see to it."

I made to get up but Rebecca raised a hand.

"Don't worry, Riza, I'll go and check on Kit," she said. She hurried off. Roy glanced at me.

"If George doesn't return, we know who did it," he muttered. I smirked. Luckily grandfather was talking about my mother to hear what we were saying. Chris on the other hand smirked.

"I like that George," Chris stated simply, "She's smart. I wonder if she would work for me one day when she's had enough of the military."

"I've only met her the once before she came to work with the Colonel," grandfather said, "I believe she replaced my cigar with one that exploded when lit. Need less to say, the Briggite soldiers found it funny."

"Sounds like George," Roy agreed, "Her brother and her are renowned trouble makers."

"We all need trouble makers," Chris said, "Otherwise life would be pretty boring."

As if on cue Rebecca stormed back into the room and threw herself down on her chair. George followed a few minutes later and sat down quietly. The two women glanced at each other for a moment.

"Where's Havoc?" Roy asked. He didn't get a polite reply from either girls. Roy rolled his eyes. Rebecca glared at George's dress. I had the feeling that Mary had forced George into the dress like she had done at the fitting sessions. It was pale blue with a darker blue shawl over the shoulders. It was knee length, George seemed to prefer that to a full length dress, with a slightly flared out skirt. Rebecca was wearing a red three quarter length dress that hugged her body. The two looked like total opposites.

I looked at Rebecca like I was warning her to behave. She responded by taking a rather large gulp of wine.

"So you're from the Briggs?" Chris asked. George nodded politely. "Do you know General Armstrong?"

"I'm well acquainted with the General, after all I've been in her office many a time, although not as many as Captain Buccaneer," George replied, taking a sip of her own wine and winking at Chris. Chris laughed.

"What is the great Ice Queen like?" Roy asked. George looked at him before answering.

"She's determined, aggressive, hard working and likes to go out in the rain," George said, "So pretty much, everything you're not, sir."

Roy growled at George. At this point Havoc resurfaced. He quickly dashed to his seat and sat deadly still. I glanced at him. He seemed deeply traumatised. I noticed Rebecca's hand go under the table. Havoc flinched a few seconds later. I was rather hoping George wouldn't notice, but she did. She looked at Havoc and smiled.

"Has Kit finally settled?" she asked. Havoc nodded but didn't speak.

"Was something wrong with him?" I asked.

"I think he just woke up that's all," George replied, "He may be feeling a little hungry in a while though."

"You seem to know a lot about babies, Captain," grandmother said.

"Oh? What's not to know? They burp, they poop, they cry and cry and cry, but they also have a routine. If you know the routine then you're sorted," George replied.

"Do you have any kids?" Chris asked. At this George shot an almost dark look.

"Are you kidding? Believe me I've tried and tried but you know, some things aren't meant to be," George replied, "I sometimes wish I was as lucky as Riza, but then I remember she's marrying Mustang and think she's not got the luck thing down."

"Thanks, George," Roy moaned. To my surprise Chris laughed along with grandfather. "I'll have you know that Riza's a very lucky woman."

"Oh really? I mean, you're what, a thirty year old Colonel who uses alchemy," George replied airily, "You frequently loose your temper when doing small, uncomplicated tasks which usually ends up in you clicking your fingers and setting fire to things."

"Maybe I did over look that aspect," I said, thoughtfully. Roy turned to me. "Maybe if we got an asbestos house, but they are very hard to come by."

"You've been hanging round George too much," Roy said. He seemed to sulk like a three year old. George raised her hand and pointed to Roy.

"Colonel Roy Mustang, ladies and gentlemen," she responded. After the laughter had died down Rebecca snapped her head in George's direction.

"You're so good at belittling the Colonel," Rebecca said, "But how would you react to someone who did the same to you?"

"I'm so used to being belittled," George said as a reply, "My sisters do it so often."

"Mary is quite good at it," I agreed. My input wasn't really needed but my tone carried a subtle message for Rebecca to leave it alone. Rebecca ignored it.

"What was life up at Briggs like?" Rebecca asked, leaning close to Havoc.

"Cold," George replied, earning her a few laughs. Havoc gulped. I put my head in my hands. Even Roy looked slightly apprehensive. Rebecca growled lightly. "Apart from that it's not so different from Central."

"I bet there aren't a lot of women up there," Rebecca went on, "What are the living arrangements?"

"I've always shared with my brother," George replied with a shrug, "The ladies used to share."

"No separate rooms, you know, for privacy?" Rebecca asked. George's eyes flickered on me for a second before she started to cough horrifically. Grandfather put a hand on her back while Chris stood up to get some water for her. She quickly excused herself and rushed out for some air. Rebecca seemed stumped by George's sudden departure.

"I'll go and check on her," I said, "She's been recovering from Pneumonia and she's still a little chokey."

Roy nodded as I left the table. As I left I gave Rebecca a glare. While I was doing this I saw Havoc grab Rebecca's hand from off his lap and plonked it back on her side. He then rose to his feet and walked towards Breda at the other side of the room.

George was leant on the door to the gardens. She didn't look at all ill, apart from she was clutching her stomach like she was in excruciating pain. I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I need my pills," she replied. She rubbed her stomach some more before glancing back at me. "Why don't you go and check on Kit while you're up?"

"Thank you, George, for not fighting with Rebecca," I found myself saying. I bowed at her. George smiled.

"Any other day I would've taken her down," George replied, "But today's not the day for that. Just remind me to stay clear of her at the wedding."

"It's such a shame," I said, "Because I was going to make you walk down the aisle with Havoc."

George laughed but she was cut short by another coughing fit. She waved me off and I went to check on Kit. I found Roy already there feeding Kit.

"Is George OK?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's fine," I replied. Roy handed me Kit and I took over feeding him. Roy leant on the wall watching me feed the baby. He rubbed his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. I glanced at him. "You're not going to say anything to Rebecca are you?"

"Do I ever?" he said. I smiled. "There's nothing worse than a jealous woman. Even I can see that George and Havoc are just friends and colleagues so why can't she?"

"People see what they want to see sometimes," I replied. Roy looked up at me. He seemed shocked by what I had just said but he understood what I meant. He nodded.

"Who's looking after Kit while we're away?" he asked.

"Gracier and George," I answered without a moment's pause for thought. Roy nodded again.

"Are you going to be alright leaving him?" he asked. I nodded.

"Gracier's great with Alisha and George will be there just in case something comes up," I said, but Roy wasn't convinced.

"That's not what I asked," he said with a slight chuckle, "I was asking whether I had to sedate you to drag you away from him."

"I'll be fine, Roy," I said, sharply, "The question is what about you?"

He laughed. Kit coughed in my arms. He pushed away his bottle and looked around for Roy. I watched the baby for a few seconds before lifting him up to my shoulder. I began to pat his back gently until he burped. Roy was smiling proudly at us.

"Roy," I said slowly, "There's some questions I've been meaning to ask you for a while."

Roy stopped smiling. He nodded waiting for me to begin. I put Kit back in his cot and covered him with a blanket.

"Will he grow normally?" I asked, "He already seems to be growing a little too quickly. George says he's developing a little quickly and Gracier, too, seems to be under that impression."

"He's a mixture of you, your father and your grandparents," Roy replied, slightly amused, "Of course he's a little quicker at developing than any others."

"That's not what I meant," I snapped.

"Every baby's different, Riza," Roy reassured. He walked to my side and pulled me close into him. He kissed my forehead. "Who knows. Maybe we have a genius here."

"I knew you weren't his father," I teased. Roy laughed. He walked us back towards the table.

The rest of the night went by quietly without any more outbursts from Rebecca. At the end of the night I bid the wedding party a good night before I frog marched off by Rebecca and Gracier. My grandparents took Kit back to their hotel so that for the next few days neither Roy nor I had to worry about him. As I was shoved into a car, I noticed that George was talking to the guys, as if she was ordering them what to do and what not to no. I noticed they paled considerably as she put her fist in her hand in a threatening gesture.

Roy looked confused when he turned round, after bidding farewell to Chris, and finding that I had vanished. I waved at him from the car. He was about to come to the car when he was stopped by Havoc and dragged off down the street. I sighed loudly as Rebecca turned the ignition in the car. We waited until George and Alisha climbed into the car. Alisha was singing a nursery song rather proudly, while George fastened her in the front seat next to Rebecca. George slammed the door and waved us off, staying behind to check on Mary before she came over. With Alisha with us, we set off down the street towards the house.

"OK," Rebecca said, "The wedding count is on. Two more days and you'll be a happily married woman."

I shook my head. I was feeling a head ache come on at the thought of being stuck with Rebecca for two days. However, it was Alisha who saved me. She suddenly stopped singing and turned to Rebecca and asked so innocently it made both Gracier and I enter a fit of laughter.

"Auntie Becca? Why don't _you_ have a baby?"

**Hehe. Random quote from the next chapter: ****"Me? I'm just a guy with a gun and a low IQ," he said.**

**Seeya next time!**

**RSx**


	42. Final Morning as Miss Hawkeye

**Sorry for the delayed up date. To be truthful I've been dragging my feet over this chapter because the next one's still not done. I hate writing weddings ¬_¬ Anyway, the next chapter should be up in a week or so, depending on the Inspiration Fairy. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA, but I own several random volumes for reasons unknown...**

**Final Morning as Miss Hawkeye**

"Wake up," Rebecca snapped at me. I jumped slightly as if I had had an electric shock. I flashed a glare towards Rebecca who was stood by the door with her hair in curlers. She had a face mask on. She had her arms folded across her chest in a bossy sort of way. She was wearing a white bath robe and pink slippers. "It's the day."

"The day?" I asked as I stirred. I sat up and yawned. "What day?"

"Your day, Riza," she told me, "So get up."

"If it's my day then surely I can say when it's time to get up," I moaned, falling back into bed.

"Is she - AH!" I heard George yelp. I glanced up to see George holding her hand over her heart, her eyes wide in terror and all the colour drained from her face. Rebecca glared at her.

"What's the matter?" Rebecca asked with a bitter tone. George struggled to find words.

"You look… lovely, Catalina," she said, smiling oddly. I sat up again. George was wearing black shorts and a blue satin top. She had obviously just got up. Her hair was in a mess.

"What time is it?" I asked, making the two girls stop glaring at each other. Rebecca glanced at her wrist watch.

"Eight hundred hours," Rebecca replied. George looked over Rebecca's shoulder.

"Funny, your watch says eight o'clock," she said, innocently. Rebecca hissed at her. In all my years of knowing Rebecca, I had never heard her hiss like that. George jumped back. "Breakfast?"

"Sure," I replied. Rebecca just glared at George until George backed out of the room, sweat dropping. I looked at Rebecca. "What is wrong with you?"

"Me?" she asked, "What is wrong with her?"

"George?" I said, not at all surprised, "Why do you have a problem with her?"

"She's just… her," Rebecca said finally, folding her arms once more for emphasis. I rolled my eyes and jumped up out of bed.

"I've never seen you take a disliking to someone like this before," I said as I tidied up my bed, pulling the duvet over the sheets. Rebecca clicked her tongue.

"There's something about her," Rebecca said.

"You're jealous," I replied. Rebecca's face dropped. Her eyes seemed to bulge out of her face. I held back a smirk.

"Why am I jealous of her?" Rebecca shrieked, "I know she lives in the same apartment block as Havoc and Havoc pays a lot more attention to her and has been looking after her since she came out of hospital and they're such good friends and Breda thinks there's something going on and what are you smiling at?"

I gave her a knowing look. Rebecca snorted.

"Rebecca," I said, "If you're that jealous maybe you should admit that you have feelings for Havoc."

"I do not have feelings for Jean Havoc!" Rebecca yelled. I flinched, half expecting George to run up the stairs and add her thoughts into the mixture. Instead it was Gracier who popped her head round the door, looking confused.

"Should I ask?" she asked, blinking a few times. I shook my head.

"Sorry for waking you, Gracier," Rebecca said apologetically, "I didn't wake Alisha, did I?"

"She can sleep through almost anything," Gracier said with a wave of her hand, "Are you two talking about Havoc?"

I nodded but Rebecca shook her head.

"Why does he seem to be the hot topic at the moment?" Gracier asked, "Even Alisha's been rattling on about him."

"It's only a childhood crush, Gracier, don't worry," I said but Gracier shook her head.

"Apparently, Havoc would make a nice new daddy," Gracier explained, "Although I don't think a four-year-old's mind quite understands the idea of marriage and all its implications."

"Neither do most women when they're twenty," Rebecca added, glancing at me.

"Are you saying-"

"Breakfast is up," George announced as she walked into the room, "A full breakfast ok with all of you?"

She paused as she looked around the room. I was getting ready to yell at Rebecca, Rebecca looked smug while Gracier was about to jump in-between us to stop us fighting. George slowly backed out of the room, smiling.

"Er… I'll be going now," she said before she rushed downstairs. I sighed loudly.

"I'm going for breakfast," I said, walking past Rebecca and Gracier. I left the two of them talking about Alisha.

I waltzed down stairs to the aroma of a full breakfast. I entered the kitchen and almost let out a small scream. George gave me look as if she thought I was crazy.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Not to be mean, but what is he doing here?" I asked pointing at none other than Jean Havoc at the breakfast table. He was wearing some casual clothes. He was reading the morning newspaper, just like Roy would do. Havoc glanced at me.

"Sorry," he said, "The chief needed some stuff but George didn't want to wake you."

"How do you think I managed to cook breakfast so quickly?" George asked. I shrugged.

"Did you hear anything being said from upstairs?" I asked, knowing full well that Rebecca's voice carried a long way. Havoc looked confused. He opened his mouth but before he could reply George stuck a sausage in his mouth. She began serving up four plates as Havoc chewed helplessly on the sausage. George put two plates on the table: one for me, one for Havoc.

"Right," George said, "I'm going to make sure the dresses are OK. Then I'll phone the church, Grumman's hotel and then Mustang to make sure he's up. When you're finished, Riza, I'll be waiting upstairs to do your hair."

"Aren't you going to eat?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"Too busy," she replied airily, "And when you're done, Havoc, go away."

She left the kitchen without another word leaving Havoc and I to eat by ourselves. Havoc was chuckling to himself.

"How's Roy this morning?" I asked. Havoc laughed louder until he was in hysterics. I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for an answer.

"He's actually not that bad," Havoc replied, "It's Fuery, Falman, Breda and Armstrong that are in a bad way. They decided to play a shot game towards the end of the night. Man they were wasted."

"And you?" I asked.

"Are you kidding. I was under strict orders to make sure Mustang didn't drink too much otherwise I'd be castrated for sure," Havoc explained hurriedly.

"Who by?" I asked, becoming suspicious.

"Gracier," Havoc replied. I was genuinely shocked by this. "She's a very scary woman."

"Why can I believe that?" I said thinking back to her own wedding day.

"Are you nervous?" Havoc asked, quietly. I shook my head. He smiled slightly. "I thought all women were a bag of nerves on their wedding day."

"I guess I know that this is what I want," I told him, "There's no doubt in my mind that I love Roy and I know that he'll be kind to me, otherwise I'll just shoot his kneecaps."

Havoc almost choked on some bacon as I said this. I cocked an eyebrow at him as he furiously pounded his chest with his fist. After a few minutes he had recovered. He took a large gulp of coffee before turning to me.

"Shoot him?" he asked.

"Why not," I replied, "I'm not one to be messed around."

"I'm glad you're so calm about all this," Havoc said. His voice sounded sincere and even his expression became softer. "I mean, I've always seen the Chief being with you after everything. You've always been together, it's like you belong together. I can't say that I'm happy I'll never work with you again, but I'm over the moon that you've found something better. I have to admit, I thought the worse of the Chief before but now I realise that the two of you are the real thing. And if he ever does anything to hurt you, I'll even hold him while you shoot his kneecaps."

"Thanks, Havoc," I said, "It really means a lot coming from you."

He let out a nervous laugh and rubbed his head.

"Me? I'm just a guy with a gun and a low IQ," he said.

"You're also an excellent judge of character," I told him, "You bring yourself down way too much."

"Thank your future husband for that," he said cheerily. He glanced at his watch, stuffing a final piece of sausage into his mouth. "I should be off. I've got to get these things to the Chief before he explodes."

"Is he nervous?" I asked, worrying about the answer.

"Not really," he replied, "He's a little stressed but that's because he's got Breda and co. to put up with. I'll see you later."

I nodded as he got to his feet and walked to the kitchen door. He paused and turned back round.

"The Chief says he doesn't know how lucky he is to be marrying someone like you," he said, "I think he was worrying about an emergency marriage because he knocked up some poor girl."

We looked at each other for a second before we both burst into laughter.

"Sorry," he said, "That came out wrong."

"Tell him if he's late then I'll set Gracier and George on him alongside Chris and my grandmother," I told him. Havoc saluted me and walked off. I heard him run up the stairs a few minutes later.

I set my knife and fork on the table and let out a sigh. I couldn't believe today was the day when I would be marrying Colonel Roy Mustang. After all these years I was finally going to walk down the aisle to Roy Mustang and say my vows. I remembered all the times I had played and replayed that scene in my head as a teenager. I smiled as I remembered all the fantasies I had about marrying him, but I knew that all that wishing and imagining could never live up to the real thing.

**Please remember to have a look at the poll on my page :) That way I can blame you if it ends badly.**

**RSx**


	43. Chapel Bells

**Finally, the chapter you've all been waiting for is just underneath. But before you set your sites on the next chapter I would like to say a few words. Firstly I would like to thank everyone who voted in the poll. I will give people some more time to vote if they've not had the time or forgotten. You have until 12 o'clock (GMT) on Friday night to pass your judgement.**

**Finally, the disclaimer: I don't own FMA :(**

**Chapel Bells**

"Hold still," Rebecca ordered as she zipped up my white dress. I shuffled uncomfortably as she tied me into the thing. I hated dresses like this. How on earth was I talked into it. Through the mirror I could see George sat on a chair, her legs crossed and an amused smirk across her face. I glared at her.

"You're next," I warned. I yelped as Rebecca tugged the dress sharply.

"There," she said, standing up and admiring it, "I've got to say, you look wonderful, Riza. Not bad, not bad at all."

"Thanks, Becca," I replied. I looked down at myself. The dress was beautiful, I had to admit that while it was slowly choking me to death, I at least looked decent. George stood up and walked towards me, undoing a few buttons for me and putting her fingers on her lips.

Feeling like I could breath, I twirled round. It was a traditional dress, I had been forced into one by Chris. It had long lace sleeves. The body was made up of a tight mid section that was almost like a corset and had a zip and lace to fasten it up. Lace came up from the corset to my neck to form a turtle neck sort of design. The skirt was long, to the floor, and was made out of silk. It was fairly loose round my legs.

"Do I look presentable?" I asked. George smiled.

"Lovely," she replied. I had a feeling she was going to say something else but a flash of light made us both jump and turn towards the door where Gracia was stood with her camera.

"Sorry," she said, "I found Maes' old camera and remembered how much he wanted to take photographs on Roy's wedding day."

"That's alright," I replied. Gracier smiled and came further into the room. She was already wearing her bridesmaid dress. I had chosen a pale blue dress. It was short and plain but beautiful none the less. There were beads on the body but that's all there was. It was sleeveless but Gracier had opted for a small silk cardigan thing that matched the dress.

"You look wonderful," she remarked as she inspected me dress, "But we've still got work to do. Rebecca, attempt to get George into her dress, will you?"

"Uh, uh," George replied, "I'm not getting dressed yet. I'll help Rebecca though."

George helped Rebecca into her dress and began to do her hair for her while Gracier did my hair. I sat patiently as she curled it with the tongs. She was smiling contently. I was so grateful to have her here.

"Ow!" Rebecca yelled from across the room, "Too tight!"

"Sorry, but you're wriggling," George snapped in reply. Gracier chuckled under her breath. She picked up her camera, turned and took a picture of the fighting duo. I laughed as they froze and glared at Gracier. After ten minutes or so, I noticed that George had disappeared from the room.

"Where is she?" Gracier asked. Rebecca looked round. Gracier made for the door only to have George walk into the room. She was wearing her bridesmaid dress. She looked at us as we stared at her. Truth be told, we weren't staring at her because she looked beautiful, although she was, we were staring at her because she had managed to tie and zip up the dress without any help.

"What?" she asked.

"How did you get that on?" Gracier asked, "I had to get Rebecca to do mine."

"I'm the eldest of four," George replied, "I can dress myself."

"I can see," Rebecca said, raising an eyebrow, "You have got to teach me how to do that."

George twirled round and left the room before anyone else could ask her a question. I heard her shout for Alisha a few seconds later. Gracier looked at me.

"I know," I told Gracier. Gracier giggled and resumed doing my hair.

An hour later we were ready. Alisha was dressed and ready to go thanks to George. Rebecca was stood gracefully beside the door, holding her flowers with her hair cascading over her shoulders. Beside her was Gracier. The two of them looked at each other and giggled like school girls. I eyed George who was stood by my side. George didn't seem to join in the enthusiasm like the others did.

"Time to go, Riza," Rebecca yelled. I nodded as I went to the door.

The whole occasion seemed to become a blur the moment I sat in the car. Gracier and Rebecca were laughing about seeing Roy at the alter. George was oddly quiet with Alisha on her knee. Alisha herself was playing with the ribbon of her dress. I was hardly paying attention, trying to keep my eyes on my hands in my lap. I refused to be nervous.

The wedding was taking place at a small military chapel. It was customary for all military personnel to have their wedding at a military chapel. It was a small white building that could easily accommodate the biggest of families.

I took a deep breath as the car came to a holt. I felt Gracier take my hand and give it a tight squeeze. I nodded at her as the door opened. We filtered out of the car onto the path outside the chapel. I could hear the buzz of conversation from within. Great, nerves were starting to get the better of me.

"Calm down, Riza," Gracier cooed, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. I nodded but found I was shivering. George and Rebecca glanced at each other. Rebecca shrugged.

"It could be worse," Rebecca said, airily. George quickly nodded.

"Yeah, you could be marrying Armstrong," George added. I burst into laughter.

"It's no big deal," I told myself, "I have no idea why I'm so nervous."

"Because you're the bride," George said.

"Oh, Riza," I heard my grandfather gasp. I looked towards the door to find him and Havoc stood there, dressed in their dress military uniforms, both mouths agape. "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you, grandfather," I replied. Havoc nodded wildly.

I walked towards my grandfather and hooked my arm into his. Gracier, Rebecca and Alisha went ahead of me. I heard the sound of chatter die instantly as the wedding music began to play. I gripped my grandfather's arm tightly.

George put a comforting hand on my shoulder before she turned and hooked her arm in Havocs. Havoc gave me a goofy smile, signalling me to calm down. I smiled at the two.

Slowly Alisha walked through some doors that led into the chapel hall. Gracier followed shortly after, then Rebecca, then George and Havoc. I noticed Havoc take a deep intake of breath before he was pulled along with George.

I smirked as I watched the two disappear, getting the sneaking suspicion that the two were acting, well, like normal for my sake. I nodded at my grandfather. With that we started to walk into the chapel.

I became aware at how loud my heart was. I couldn't hear the music for my heartbeat. I glanced around the chapel. I noticed Al, then Winry and lastly Ed. They were stood nearest the doors. Ed was wearing the military uniform, which surprised me. I wondered for a brief second who had forced him into it. Next came Madame Christmas with a few of her girls. They were all dressed smartly and had toned down the makeup somewhat. Major Armstrong was sat beside the boys, his eyes streaming with tears as the others gawped at my apparel. My grandmother had Kit in her arms and was sat close to the Fuhrer and his wife. For a second I was confused why the Fuhrer was present but I guess he was bound to be there anyway.

The last person I looked at was Roy. He was stood in his dress uniform, with his hands behind his back. Havoc and George parted at the end of the aisle. George went and stood next to Rebecca while Havoc stood next to Roy. Roy looked at me. We regarded each other for a moment until a smirk crawled onto his face.

At the end of the aisle, after what seemed an eternity from the doors, grandfather passed my hands to Roy. Roy took my hands in his and, after a brief glance at each other, we turned to the Chaplin. Roy let my left hand drop and held my right hand in his left, up at about shoulder level. His other arm was behind him.

"This couple has come before us today to be wedded by the state," the Chaplin began. I could almost feel Roy's eyelids drop at the sound of the Chaplin's voice. I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling. The Chaplin spoke about marriage in a horribly dull way, even I switched off for the most of it. After a long speech he turned his attention back to Roy and I.

"Turn to face each other," he told us. Roy and I turned to look each other in the eye. "Now begin your vows."

"As a soldier, I am the worker of the state, "Roy said, after a second, "But as a husband, I am yours forever."

"As a woman, I serve the best I can," I replied, "But as a wife, I am yours forever."

"Now, the groom," the Chaplin ordered.

"I, Roy Mustang, take Elizabeth Hawkeye, as my wife,

To have, to hold, to support from this day forward.

No circumstances too great, no situations too deep,

I will stand by your side no matter the cost,

So is the law of the land, from our Fuhrer I have permission.

I wed you this day."

Roy smiled as he said the last line. I returned his smile by squeezing his hands.

"Now, the bride," the Chaplin ordered.

"I, Elizabeth Hawkeye, take Roy Mustang, as my husband,

To have, to hold, to support from this day forward.

No circumstances too great, no situations too deep,

I will stand by your side no matter the cost,

So is the law of the land, from our Fuhrer I have permission.

I wed you this day."

"The couple have bound themselves in the contract; those here have bared witness to the vows made. From this day on I decree that this couple be wed. By the power within me, given from this country, I give you Mr and Mrs Mustang," the Chaplin said. He turned to Havoc, then to George. "The rings."

Roy dropped my right hand and turned to Havoc. Havoc gave Roy a silver band. Roy turned back to me and slid it onto my finger. He then raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. I did the same, this time calling on George for the ring.

"The rings have been given," the Chaplin stated, "These people are now wed."

Roy and I turned to the chapel and bowed. Roy took my hand and we proceeded to leave the chapel, followed by George and Havoc, Rebecca, Gracier and Alisha. People were clapping us as we walked down the aisle.

"This is a real pain in the arse," Roy muttered to me. I smirked.

"Says you," I replied, "You're not wearing half the stuff I have to."

He didn't reply but I could see how his mind was working. I rolled my eyes. I glanced behind me as I heard a baby giggle. For an instant, I felt like turning round and getting Kit before leaving the chapel, but I soon shook away that feeling as I looked up at Roy. It was weird seeing his hair combed back and manageable. It didn't suit him, but I guess I was used to seeing him with messy hair.

I glanced down at my finger, at the ring that now sat there, comfortably. I took a deep breath, realising what had just happened.

The reception began off somewhat awkwardly but then again, the whole day had been somewhat awkward. Roy and I had been forced to give pleasantries and false smiles all day. The real smiles had run out within a hour or so after our cheeks had begun to sting. The false ones had replaced them, but no one noticed. Among our guests were some familiar faces I had seen a long time ago. Some of them were members of my own family that I'd not seen since I was three while others were friends from various places Roy and I had been. There was one face I wasn't expecting to see and yet he was there.

"Ah, here's the bride now," greeted the friendly tone of Bulldog Churchill. I looked at him confused for a minute or two. Why was he here? "You look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you, Bulldog," I replied with a smile.

"George," he muttered, nodding his head in the direction of said person. She was talking with Madame Christmas and the girls. "Somehow, and I don't know how, Mary managed to get me here for the reception."

"I heard you'd been sent to the stockade," I said. Bulldog nodded. He bent down and whispered in my ear.

"I have a message for your husband," he muttered, "From the Ice Queen. It's nothin' bad or harmful but it's one that could mean life or death for a few of our acquaintances."

I nodded like I understood. Bulldog pulled back from me laughing. I joined in his laughter like he had been telling me a secret story. I pulled him towards Roy. Roy was joking with Havoc and Breda about something. I patted him on his shoulder to get his attention. Roy turned to me then looked at Bulldog.

"Bulldog," Havoc said, once looking at the man. Bulldog grinned leant forwards to grabbed Havoc's arm.

"Havoc, Breda, it's been too long," Bulldog replied. He turned to Roy, who seemed to understand who he was. After all he had many of the features George had. "Bulldog Churchill, at your service, sir."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bulldog," Roy said, "George invited you, I presume?"

"Aye and Mary made it possible," Bulldog explained, "I was just telling Riza about something I'd heard. Wasn't I?"

I nodded: "It was a very good story."

"Not one for… younger ears though," I momentarily saw his eyes look round for an excuse. He settled for Alisha, who was sat a few feet away. Bulldog leant forwards to tell Roy the message. Roy's expression changed as Bulldog explained what was going off. His smile slowly faded into nothing. Havoc and Breda looked at each other before trying to lean in to catch what was being said.

Somewhere in the background I heard a shatter of glass. I turned to look over Havoc's shoulder. It looked like Rebecca had bumped into the Fuhrer and made him drop his wine glass on the floor. She was apologising like crazy but the Fuhrer looked annoyed. I wondered if he'd seen Roy and Bulldog talking in whispers. Shaking my head of that thought, I felt Havoc tap my shoulder.

"Would Mrs Mustang like to dance?" he asked. I nodded. I took his hand as he led me to a small dance area where other people were dancing. Among them was my grandparents and Fuery was dancing with Mary. The music sounded happy. Everyone was smiling like they were having the time of their lives. I wasn't.

"You really look gorgeous in that dress, Hawkeye," Havoc said, bringing my thoughts back to earth. I smiled and thanked him. "Don't worry. I'm sure everything is going to be fine. And if it's not, the Chief will fix it."

"Thank you, Havoc," I replied.

"It's probably a message from Armstrong telling him he got lucky," Havoc went on, "And not to screw it up."

"Knowing Olivier," I agreed. We danced in silence for a few minutes until Havoc stopped. He let go of me and turned around.

"I'm sorry, Havoc, but I'm going to need my wife for a moment," it was Roy. He was smirking. Havoc nodded and passed him my hand.

"No problem," Havoc replied. He reached behind him, grabbing someone's arm and dragging them to dance with him. George glanced around in panic as Havoc pulled her round.

"Jean? What - ? I was- talking," she said, distracted as he put his arm round her waist.

"I was aiming for a bridesmaid," Havoc told Roy and I, "I'm glad I didn't just pull the Fuhrer up to dance. Or Rebecca."

George looked confused but started to dance with Havoc none the less. Roy chuckled as he placed and arm round me and pulled me close. I allowed my head to rest on his chest as we danced. This is what I wanted the day to feel like, close to Roy. He didn't say anything as we danced and no one tried to interrupt us, which was nice. I glanced over the dance floor to see Havoc, Breda, Bulldog and George laughing at something. Suddenly, I saw Ed stood beside George. She jumped as Ed tapped her. After a brief interchange of words, they stepped on the dance floor. Roy glanced over at them.

"Hey Fullmetal, I thought you would have escaped a long time ago," Roy said, awfully pleasantly.

"Yeah, well," Ed muttered. He looked like he was concentrating on not standing on George's toes but she didn't seem to really care. She was too busy looking round the place. She glared at Breda and Havoc, who were in fits of laughter over her dancing with Ed. She didn't look best pleased, but I could see the cogs turning in her head, like she was concocting some sort of evil plan.

I fell onto the bed, truly exhausted from the day. I smirked at the thought of Roy's face when Havoc delivered his speech. It was told as a joke, filled with in jokes and openly mocked my new husband so much so, I thought Havoc would be flamed by the end of it. George's speech was short and simple. She had said a few words in Drachma and explained them, adding that Havoc's funeral would be held a few days after our honeymoon. My grandfather had said a few words about the family and Chris had done the same with Roy's. Neither divulged much, but enough to satisfy the nosey members of the guest list. Rebecca had kept clear of the Fuhrer for most of the night after her mishap with his glass. Every now and again she would duck out of the way to avoid his gaze. Perhaps the best part of the reception was the look on Havoc's and Breda's faces when they realised Ed had danced with every eligible woman there.

I heard Roy unclip several of his jacket buttons. He let out a relieved sigh as he shrugged off the thick jacket. He tossed it carelessly onto the floor. I glanced at him, willing him to pick it up but he didn't seem to get the message. Instead he turned his back to me and fell, backwards, onto the bed beside me.

"It's over," he stated. I nodded.

"At last," I replied.

"That had to be the longest day of my life so far," he went on.

"Most definitely," I agreed.

"All those people, all that food, all that horrible, you know, watching," Roy rambled, "Everyone was watching us like we were a theatre play."

"It was _our _day," I replied. Roy turned his head to look at me. He reached across and took my hand in his. He rubbed it gently.

"At least we're alone now," he said softly, "Alone, in the quiet."

"Hmm," I murmured, "I bet you've been waiting for this all day."

"I have," Roy admitted, "I need it so badly as well."

There was a few minutes of silence as we both stared up at the ceiling. The quiet was welcomed. I turned my head to Roy.

"Sleep?" I asked.

"Sleep," he replied. I laughed as I sat up.

"What's this?" I teased, "Roy Mustang passing up the opportunity?"

"Yeah," Roy replied, sounding tired, "Through a combination of getting to bed at four, getting up at seven, chasing round the idiots I call my subordinates to help me, dancing most of the night with my beautiful wife and dealing with way too many people."

"We have got a week to ourselves," I said. Roy nodded.

"And the rest of our lives," he added. He pulled me into his arms. We fell back onto the bed, both letting out a long sigh.

"Undress?" I asked.

"Too much energy," Roy moaned. I shrugged.

"I'm never going to wear this dress again, anyway," I said. I turned onto my side, snuggling up to him. Roy held me close, gently rubbing my back with his thumb. "What did Bulldog have to say."

"Nothing we don't already know," Roy replied in a bored tone. I nodded. I wrapped my arm round him and closed my eyes. Roy kissed the top of my head. "Goodnight, Riza."

"Goodnight, Roy," I replied, barely in a whisper. With Roy beside me, I felt complete. I was just dozing off when I heard Roy mutter 'love you'. I managed a reply but it sounded groggy. Roy chuckled softly. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a comfy, relaxing sleep.

**I have no idea what the next chapter will bring. It'll either be the epilogue or another chapter continuing. Either way there's atleast one more to come. Don't forget to vote in the poll if you have a preference!**

**RSx**


	44. The Return

**Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll and by popular demand I give the next chapter of It's Not What You Think :) Like I said the next arc is going to move away from the original plot and in a few chapters time I will be doing a time warp thing. Hopefully you'll enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**The Return**

The week we had set aside for our honeymoon flew by. It was hardly fair that it went so quick after all the time we had spent waiting to be alone. We went to a small village in the East. It was a quirky, old village with lots of historic buildings and picturesque landscapes. Roy and I would spend the day, when we weren't in bed, walking round looking at everything. Some days we went into one of the small cafes for lunch. We would talk about everything and anything, from Kit to Hayate, old to new things.

When I jumped off the train back in Central, I had to admit that a wave of relief swept over me. It's not that I didn't enough myself on my honeymoon, it was more a case that Central could only provide me with one thing I really wanted: Kit. How were we talked into not taking him with us, I still didn't know. I looked around Central station curiously as Roy got our bags. Something didn't seem to sit right in my stomach. I glanced around hoping to find the cause of my discomfort but was interrupted as Roy placed the bags, albeit noisily, next to my feet.

"What's wrong?" he asked when he glanced up at me. I scanned the area once more before even bothering to reply.

"Nothing," I replied. Roy shrugged it off and picked up the bags once more.

Arriving home was some what weird after being away for a week. The house was oddly still and empty. There was even an echo as we walked in through the living room.

"Gracier will be bringing Kit round in a while," Roy told me. I nodded, vaguely interested in what he was saying. I was preoccupied with sorting out the mail. We had a large pile filled with cards and letters from people wishing us the best in our married life. There were a few military letters concerning some information for Roy. I placed them on the coffee table and sighed.

The phone rang, making both Roy and I jump. Roy was the one to answer it though.

"Mustang," he said, out of habit rather than anything else. His shoulders relaxed as he obviously knew who was phoning. "Oh, Havoc, it's you. We've just got back… What do you mean 'something's going down'?"

I looked across at Roy and rushed to his elbow, trying to listen in on the phone call. I noticed how Roy gripped the receiver and how his expression hardened as Havoc continued to explain what was going on. Just as I leaned into Roy to hear more, the doorbell rung. I rushed to the door, glancing through the peephole before opening it.

Gracier was stood in the doorway, Alisha by her side and Kit in his pram behind her. I imagined that Gracier would look happy to see me but her face was far from happy.

"What's wrong?" I asked, frowning. Gracier pushed Alisha inside and pulled the pram sharply towards the door. I stepped back, allowing Alisha and Gracier into the house, closing the door behind them. Gracier then turned to me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"I'm so glad your back," she said. She then withdrew her hands and unbuckled Kit from his pram. She passed him to Alisha, who held him tightly. "Go and play with Kit, Alisha dear. Auntie Riza and I have to talk about some things."

"Yes, mama," Alisha chorused before walking towards the couch. I eyed Gracier curiously for a second.

"What is going on?" I asked, "Not five minutes back and Havoc's already phoning Roy. Now you're acting strange. What is the matter?"

"Riza," Gracier said, as calm as she could muster, "It's just terrible. They've arrested an officer from Briggs. They're saying he's committed treason while in the service, using the Secret Ops teams for his own use. General Armstrong has been a witness and they even took George."

"They took George?" I asked, still unsure of what was going on. I put a hand on Gracier's back and gently stroked her. "To be a witness?"

Gracier shook her head. I frowned once again. Why would they take George if not to be a witness. As far as I knew, George hadn't done anything against the law so there was no reason for her to be arrested. Gracier took several deep breaths before explaining herself.

"One night, George and Havoc were watching Kit for me. I went to pick him up around eight o'clock. Of course we got chatting about this and that, wondering how you two were faring without him, when George got a knock on the door. She went and answered it, like it was no deal. The next thing I knew there was this yell and George backs into the kitchen. There is this man, I didn't catch his name, wearing the state uniform, with his gun raised at George like he was arresting her. George didn't like the idea of a person threatening her in her own house and told him to put the gun away," Gracier was in a state of hysteria. Her voice was high pitched and her words were fast. I tried to keep up the best I could. She paused for a breath. "Then he struck her and dragged her out of the apartment. Havoc stepped forwards to stop them but the guy didn't care. He pointed the gun at Havoc and told him this was the order of the Fuhrer and that if he knew what was best for the baby, he would shut his mouth and follow orders."

"Where is George now?" I asked, urging Gracier to keep calm.

"I don't know," Gracia replied, "No one has seen her apart from General Armstrong."

"General Armstrong?" I questioned. Gracia nodded.

"She came to see me a few days later to tell me everything was alright and to ask me a few questions. She came alone. She told me that George was once in a division that served the man they were trying in court and that George would be released after being deemed not responsible, but then I heard that they've shot a few men," Gracia's pitch increased once more. I calmed her down again. "We don't know who's being killed but there's been four so far."

I directed the poor woman towards the sofa, telling her to sit down and clam herself down before she collapsed. She sniffed.

"I'm sorry," she said after a minute, her features softening, "You've only just got back and I'm telling you all this. I haven't had the chance to ask you about it. Did you have fun?"

"It was very fun," I replied, returning her small smile, "I'll tell you about it later."

Roy slammed down the phone. I thought at first he hadn't noticed we had company and half expected him to swear loudly, but he controlled himself and turned to me.

"Major Miles has been arrested," Roy stated. He rushed towards the stairs, bounding up them. I sighed loudly. It would always be the case. Something would come up when you were trying to relax. I turned back to Gracier.

"Has Havoc been in touch?" I asked. Gracier nodded.

"Not all that much but he's phoned to tell me he and the others are OK. Ed and Al are in the South at the minute and he's pretty much told them to stay there until further notice," Gracier explained, "Just in case."

"I'm sorry we weren't here to help you," I said, "It's typical that something like this kicks off when we're not around."

"Funny," Gracier said, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips, "That's what George said to the guy that took her. She said if Mustang were around then there would be no way he'd dare arrest her in such a way."

Roy thundered down the stairs, buttoning up a pale blue shirt. He had changed into his military uniform. I glanced at him as he put his arms into the jacket and pulled it on. He looked over at Gracier and me.

"Sorry," he muttered, "But I should really-"

"Go," I told him, "And be careful."

He nodded. He grabbed his black coat from the coat rack before rushing out the house, slamming the door behind him. I turned back to Gracier.

"I insist you and Alisha stay for tea," I told her. Gracier smiled and nodded.

"I'll help you cook," she agreed.

**There's chapter 44 for you. Hope you enjoyed. I will update a bit quicker over the next few weeks cos I have the time, basically. Please review and tell me what you think. All reviews are loved :) Well, I love em, can't say my computer does but what can I say. Til next time!**

**RSx**


	45. The Trial

**This chapter seemed longer when I was writing it. Anyway, here it is, sorry for the delay in uploading :) Hopefully this will be the last George orientated chapter for a while. I can't say I'm pleased with this ending :( It seemed better when I wrote it as the Epilogue... Oh well, I hope you'll enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**The Trial**

Roy stormed into the house one evening in a temper I'd never seen before. Havoc followed not long after him, in the same sort of mood, with a grim looking Major Armstrong not far behind. Roy threw his jacket on the floor and kicked it across the living room, muttered curses under is breath. Hayate took one look at the coat before retreating into the kitchen, just in case Roy would lash out at him as well. I was thankful that Kit was upstairs taking a nap so that Roy's behaviour wouldn't upset him. I waited patiently for an explanation but none followed. Roy and Havoc were arguing about something and Armstrong kept silent, a grim expression on his face. I rubbed my temples, gathering all my courage to make my presence known in the room.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice surprisingly calm and collected. Roy turned round, surprised to se me there. In an instant the horribly angry atmosphere disappeared as Roy's shoulder's sagged and Havoc let out a smirk.

"Always calm," Havoc muttered. Roy took a few steps towards me pulling me into an embrace.

"Sorry," he said as he pulled away, "It's been a stressful day."

"Really?" I asked rather sarcastically, "I didn't notice."

Havoc snorted as he undid his jacket. Armstrong shuffled where he stood while Roy just chuckled.

"I'll get some drinks," I told him, "Then you're going to tell me what has happened."

"Yes, ma'am," Roy replied turning to sit down on the sofa. I went towards the kitchen, glancing back at my husband talking to the other two in a much calmer way. Stressful day or not, something was definitely wrong to get Roy in that mood.

I returned to the living room a few minutes later holding a tray of three cups of coffee. I set the tray down on the coffee table and handed a cup to each of the men. They each bid their thanks before taking a sip. I sat down next to Roy.

"So?" I prompted. Roy continued to drink from his cup, allowing Havoc and Armstrong time to explain what was going on.

"You know how Major Miles has been taken into custody right? Well now all six out of eleven Galcier Guards have been taken into custody," Havoc explained with a slight amount of venom in his tone, "George is one of them."

"It seems that the Generals think that Miles and the six Guards have committed treason after they failed in a mission about three years ago. Rather than prosecuting just the Major, they're targeting the guards who helped him as well," Armstrong added.

"Right and seeing as George was on that mission she's been held for questioning," Havoc summarised.

"Why are they prosecuting the Major for a failed mission?" I asked, "Every command fails a mission once in a while."

"Well its not so much the failing," Havoc replied, "It's the not reporting it and that fact they let four known fugitives escape to Drachma."

"Since none of the Guards reported it and neither did Miles, they're seeing it as treason," Armstrong went on, "Anyone with any affiliation to the event is being charged with treason."

"Not quite all," Roy muttered, "It's no great guess that both General Armstrong and Bulldog knew about it but they're not being charged."

"So they're deliberately trying to get rid of Miles?" I asked. Roy nodded.

"Three of the guards have been sentenced to death," Havoc told me, "George is going to be sentenced tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I asked, looking at Roy. Roy nodded again. "What are the odds she'll be let off?"

"Low," Roy replied. I sat back on the sofa letting the information sink in. After as few minutes of silence I looked at Roy.

"I'm going to the trial," I told him. Everyone looked at me in surprise. "They've got to let it open to the public and as the wife of her commanding officer I am allowed to attend."

"Riza," Roy said softly.

"No, I'm going," I snapped, "She's my friend, I've got to show her my support."

"She doesn't need support," Havoc said grimly, "She needs a miracle."

"They're not even allowed lawyers," Armstrong said, crossing his arms, "The Military says that a innocent soldier should speak for themselves without a lawyer."

"And the evidence is pretty convincing," Havoc agreed. I shook my head.

"I don't care how convincing it is," I told them, "I'm going to support her. Even if it's the last time I ever see her."

Roy lent back and let out a sigh.

"The lady has spoken," he said, "I doubt we can make her change her mind."

I couldn't believe how many people came to George's trial the next day. The room was pretty much filled to the brim of people who knew her, her brother, her sisters, General Armstrong and Buccaneer, even my own grandfather was sat amongst the crowd. Roy and Havoc directed me to sit near the old man.

"Riza, dear," he said grimly, "I thought you'd be here."

"You didn't say you would be in Central, grandfather," I told him.

"I can't sit by and let them kill her," grandfather muttered.

"General," Roy greeted my grandfather.

"Colonel," grandfather replied, "I wish your subordinate luck today."

"She needs it, sir," Roy mumbled grimly. He sat down on my other side. He gave me an affectionate look before the whole hall went quiet.

The Fuhrer and four Generals walked into the room and sat in specialised boxed seats holding folders, probably filled with information that would destroy George. Once they were settled George was walked into the room with two soldiers buy her side. She was wearing her dress uniform even with her hat on her head. She sat down at a small desk in front of the Fuhrer. She took her hat off her head and placed it to her right before turning her full attention on the Fuhrer. I looked round to see Buccaneer sat a few rows in front of me. He looked pale and anxious. Even General Armstrong, who was sat next to him, looked a little anxious.

"First Lieutenant Georgiana Jane Asquith-Churchill," the Fuhrer read out, "You have been brought before this court on the account of treason. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty, sir," George replied. She sounded calm yet strong.

"We shall now review the information we have gathered," the Fuhrer went on. He opened his folder, likewise the other generals. I put my hand in Roy's and squeezed it tight.

For the next few hours we sat listening to the Generals reading out information and asking George to confirm it or not. She was only allowed to nod or shake her head throughout the trial. I kept glancing around at the people I knew in the room. I found Bulldog and Mary sat with two other girls and another officer. While Bulldog and the girls looked nervous, the officer was smirking. I glanced at Havoc. He had his fists clenched tightly throughout the trial. Major Armstrong had his arms crossed and looked grim like he had the day before. As I gazed round I found Edward sat next to the major, looking like he wanted the Fuhrer to explode any second. Rebecca was sat near to the back with the rest of the guys in the office. They were all sat gazing at the Fuhrer with determination. Even the familiar face of Dr Fritz popped out of the crowd. I never realised how much support George had. I turned back to George as the Fuhrer set down his folder.

"Now I will allow the defendant to say a few words in her defence," the Fuhrer boomed, "If she wishes to."

"Sir," George said, standing.

"Your comrades yesterday didn't fare as well," a smarmy General on the Fuhrer's right sneered, "What is there left to say when all this information has been told to you."

"I will say this," George said boldly, "In this country an innocent soldier doesn't need to have a lawyer to prove their innocence. I stand here to tell you I am innocent for the following reasons.

"For one, at the time of the event in question, I was ordered to drop back with a wounded soldier. Since I was the lowest ranked and least experienced soldier, I was the one chosen to supply medical attention to Captain McArthur who later died from his injuries. Whatever happened after I left my unit, I could not comment on it.

"Another, the intent was to arrest the fugitives not allow them to escape. The Major made it quite clear that that was the course of action not to help them escape. He told us to show no mercy to them and fire at them if necessary. Any change of heart was impossible as far as I'm concerned.

"I am a soldier as were the rest of my unit. We followed the orders given to us by Major Miles and he followed the orders given to him by Central Command on that day. Despite the tension between Central and Briggs, I doubt that Major Miles would have allowed personal preference to interfere with his job. He is a good soldier, a loyal soldier to his country and his Fuhrer, just like myself. I am loyal to my commanding officer, who ever that is, and my Fuhrer so I cannot be sentenced for treason. I joined the Military when I was sixteen, I came from a military background with my mother marrying an officer. During Ishval I risked my life to give supplies to the soldiers who fought on the front lines close to my home village. If I am on trial for being a good, loyal soldier I am guilty. If I am on trial for treason I am innocent."

Roy shifted next to me. Even I found myself lean forwards as George took her seat once again. She looked at the Fuhrer, her shoulders square. She was confident in her words and I doubt that anyone in the room thought otherwise. The Fuhrer's expression contorted for a second.

"I see you have quite the support, Lieutenant," he spoke, "Two generals, three colonels, a major, a state alchemist, captains, first lieutenants and other soldiers, medical men, family and friends. But that's not the support that matters, Lieutenant. You need my support also."

"If I may say, Fuhrer," the smarmy General said. The Fuhrer raised a hand to silence him.

"You have proven yourself a great soldier by saying your peace," the Fuhrer stood, looking menacingly at George. She didn't flinch or even move under his intense gaze. "Get out of my site before I change my mind."

"Yes, sir," she muttered, bowing her head and rising to her feet. She saluted him as he left the chamber. The Generals rose to their feet.

"The verdict is not guilty," one said, "First Lieutenant Georgiana Jane Asquith-Churchill is cleared of all charges."

There was an instant let out of breath from the audience of the court. Havoc fell back in his seat as he sighed loudly.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Churchill," the smarmy General snapped, "I can still have you flogged."

"I apologise, sir," George replied, with another quick bow. The generals filtered out of the room. The instant they were gone the whole room exploded into chatter.

One of the three girls ran from her seat to the barrier between the audience and the court. She jumped over it easily, despite wearing a long, flowery dress. She hugged George tightly. George turned quickly and gave the girl a hug before picking her up and spinning her around. Mary and another girl quickly leapt over the barrier and hugged George. I stood up, letting out a long breath as relief swept over me. Bulldog was the fourth to clear the barrier, followed by Bucaneer and, surprisingly, Edward. Edward congratulated George. She responded by pulling him into a hug and ruffling his hair.

I looked at Roy, who seemed as equally relieved as everyone in the court.

"It's over," I said, "For George, I mean."

"After that I don't think the Fuhrer dare execute her," Roy said. I put my arm round him so I could lean on him. All my energy was gone.

"We should get out of here," my grandfather said, rising to his feet. Roy nodded and went to lead me to the door. He was following Havoc.

"Colonel," Breda yelled from over the crowd as we got towards the back of the room. Roy looked in the direction of Breda's voice but waved his hand to tell them to follow him rather than talk to them.

Once outside the court room the guys gathered with my grandfather and Major Armstrong to talk about the trial. I was stood by Roy's side, listening to what was being said when a hand tapped my shoulder.

I turned to see a cheery, but tired looking Fritz.

"Long time no see," he said with a slight chuckle, "I thought you might be here today. Both of you."

"Fritz," I said, "It's good to see you. I didn't get a chance to thank you or say good bye before."

"Don't worry," Fritz said, waving me off, "I actually came to give you this and apologise that I couldn't attend your wedding."

He passed me a book. I took it slowly and opened it. Inside were alchemic lines and circles. I glanced at Fritz looking for some explanation.

"I found it in a bookshop in a Eastern town," he explained, "It explains the theory of using a woman to create life through alchemy. Apparently it's been done before and this is the study of one of the children."

"Done before?" I asked.

"Not in the same way," Fritz admitted, "But I thought it could help with Kit in the future."

"Thank you," I said. Roy took this moment to turn his head and look at me. He jumped slightly as he recognised Fritz.

"Doctor," he greeted, "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise, Colonel," Fritz replied, "By the way, I believe congratulations are in order."

"Thank you," I said.

"I'm sorry but I must dash," Fritz said, "I'm on duty at the hospital in fifteen minutes so I must go. Give my regards to George."

With that he rushed off into the crowd. I handed the book he gave me to Roy. Roy eyed it carefully before opening it and reading a page or two. His eyes widened slightly but he smirked.

"This should be an interesting read," he said.

"Yo Colonel!" Ed yelled. We turned to see the Alchemist walking towards us followed by George, Bulldog and Buccaneer. Buccaneer had one hand on George's shoulder. I rushed to give George a hug. George laughed as she squeezed me.

"I didn't expect you to be here," she managed to say between laughs. I pulled away and smiled at her.

"Don't be an idiot," I told her. She nodded and looked at Roy.

"Seems like you'll be putting up with me for a while longer, sir," she said. Roy nodded.

"I won't be able to get rid of you, will I?" he joked. She gave him a firm salute, which he mirrored. The guys behind him also saluted her. Fuery looked like he was going to burst into tears, Breda's chest was puffed out with pride, Falman had a slight smile on his face. At once the three of them leapt forwards and hugged her, well, dog piled on her. She yelped as three pairs of arms and three bodies launched themselves on her.

"You're alive!" Fuery yelled.

"Churchill lives to see another day!" Breda shouted. Roy and I began laughing at the group of them. Bulldog and Buccaneer joined in the laughter until I noticed George getting slightly annoyed.

"Get off me!" George finally snapped, pushing the three away from her. She let out a sigh before looking at my grandfather. "General."

"It's good to see you well, Lieutenant," grandfather said. Finally George looked at Havoc.

"Aren't you glad to see me?" she asked, pouting slightly. Havoc chuckled as he walked towards her, giving her a short but affectionate hug.

"I'm glad you're alright," he told her. She nodded.

"Thanks to you all," she said addressing each of us with a glance, "I'm touched you're all here for me."

"It's not everyday your sister is hauled up for treason," Bulldog said, slinging his arm round her, "And you got away with it. I'm so proud."

"Yeah, yeah," George replied, pushing him away in a childish gesture. Bulldog fell back into Buccaneer but Buccaneer was looking at something else. Nearly everyone turned to see what he was looking at.

General Armstrong was walking towards us with a small smile on her face.

"I see you're sounding the victory parade," she said coldly, "Typical for you to be so light hearted when this has only just begun."

"We've won a small victory, General," Roy said calmly, "The first, can I add."

"Hopefully it won't be the last," the General snapped. She turned to George and gave her a cold glare. George put a hand on her hip and gave the General a look of her own. "Enjoy your celebrations while it lasts, Jester."

"I hope you can celebrate this time tomorrow, Queenie," George replied. The General turned her head away.

"Let's hope," the General said. She walked away with Bulldog and Buccaneer turning to follow her. George scowled.

"Queenie!" she yelled suddenly, making the General turn round with a bored expression on her face, "Miles is innocent, don't doubt that. After McArthur was maimed there would be no way in hell that Miles wouldn't have tried his best to capture those animals."

The General turned round and continued walking away. Buccaneer glanced back at George, a note of sympathy in his eyes. Then he turned and followed the General without so much as a pause. I put a hand on George's shoulder. She smiled and looked at me.

"I'm starving," she said, "Breda, where's the nearest café?"

The next day came and went. George stayed with Kit and me all day. George wasn't allowed to be involved in Miles' trial in anyway. We had a good day catching up about the honeymoon and how Kit had behaved while we were away. Both of us forgot about the trial.

Roy came in around four that evening with Havoc and Ed not far behind him. They addressed George before me and we both knew instantly what has transpired. George had tried to run out of the room, only to be caught by Havoc. To my surprise she didn't try hard to escape Havoc's grasp but she did bury her head into his chest as Roy told her the news. Major Arjun Miles had been found guilty of treason. Needless to say she stayed with us that night.

The next day Roy and George left for the execution, George had been summoned to watch. I don't know what happened there but when they returned Roy's left hand was bandaged. There had been a fight between some Central soldiers and the Briggs ones. Bulldog had been sentenced to four years in the stockade for starting it. Over the next few weeks George became an oddly quiet girl with very little cheer in her step. We all knew she blamed herself for being let off free while her comrades had either been sentenced to prison or, in the case of Miles, sentenced to the firing squad.

Roy turned to me one evening, shortly after the execution. His expression was deadly serious but his tone sounded soft.

"This is where it all begins," was all he said.

**Please review if you have any comments. Reviewing will make me write more *nods*. I will be changing the synopsis after the next chapter, just to let you know. Til next time :)**

**RSx**


	46. Two Years Later

**Sorry it's taken me soo long to post this chapter. First I struggled writing this chapter and then my hard drive went in my laptop :( Fortunately my good friend and sponsor, Techno, was able to save this for me :) Currently I am working on very old laptop which doesn't like most websites so updating may be slow in the future until my laptop is fixed. Anyway, once again sorry, but I hope you enjoy this :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA but I do own George, Kit and Bulldog :) yay for me!**

**Two Years Later**

"You're not listening are you?" I snapped at Roy as we boarded a train to Central. Roy groaned as I raised my voice slightly.

"I'm trying to," he admitted, "But the headache from last night is blocking it out."

"Serves you right for drinking til the early hours," I told him.

"He was a General," Roy replied, "What was I supposed to say? He ordered me to join him."

"You're so irresponsible sometimes," I said, shaking my head. I pushed him into a compartment and quickly shut the door behind me. Roy rubbed his head as he sat down. I glared at him as I sat down across from him.

"I said I was sorry," he said, "Now please, just leave me alone. Believe me, this headache is torture enough without you glaring at me."

"We'll be in Central in four hours," I said, "You'd better get yourself into some sort of shape for your son."

"Only if I can curl up to you," Roy said, his lip curling into a smirk. I kicked his leg, making him wince despite the kick being gentle.

It was often like this. Roy and I became like travelling diplomats for the Fuhrer whenever a State Alchemist was needed. We spent a few nights away every month going to Eastern Command, Southern Command or Western Command. I preferred visiting Eastern Command because it meant that Roy and I could act like we were, rather than the bickering married couple the other officers seemed to expect. Cocky Roy Mustang marrying the cool headed Riza Hawkeye? They expected us to bicker as we clashed.

The truth was that even after two years of marriage, Roy and I had a good relationship despite having a three year old son. We had grown used to each other long before we had married so we knew what to expect.

The train from Southern Command didn't take long to reach Central. Roy slept most of the way since he still had a hangover. I read a book I had been given by Breda. I was surprised when he'd handed me a romance book. He'd claimed it was a gift for his sister but she already had it. I was half way through it when Roy stirred from his slumber.

"How long was I out?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Two hours," I replied, closing my book.

"It feels longer," he muttered, "Like three days."

"Teaches you," I said, smiling as he groaned, "We'll be arriving shortly."

"Good," he replied, "I desperately need to stretch my legs."

Roy rubbed his head as I returned to my book. The train journey only lasted a hour and a half after Roy had woken up. When the train pulled into the station I could see George already stood waiting for us with a black umbrella. Roy looked slightly confused to see her there. She had been on a visit to the Briggs before we had left Central. Roy obviously didn't expect to see her back so soon.

"Wonder what's wrong with Armstrong," Roy muttered.

"Maybe she got thrown out again," I suggested. Roy nodded seeing the possibility that Armstrong had sent George home early due to some prank or argument. Over the last two years George had managed to prank most of the staff at Central Headquarters. Her usual targets were Breda, Falman and General Raven. Roy got off quite light to say he would be an easy target. Havoc decided to get on George's good side after she dyed his hair bubblegum pink when he had offended her one time. During that week he'd lost two dates, been put on desk duty and wasn't allowed to leave the base unless he wore a hat. Amazingly neither he nor George got into trouble. Unfortunately Breda and Falman hadn't caught on how to avoid being pranked. Rumours were that George had even pranked the Fuhrer but no one knew how or even what it was. The Fuhrer wasn't keen on saying either. I don't know how George had managed to stay out of trouble so long.

Two years had changed the others very little. They were all still very irresponsible, lazy and emotional. Between them they had managed to loose Kit thirty eight times, get him caked in mud ten times, given him coffee five times, left something flammable with him twice (they learnt that lesson fast), made him go on a sugar rush a countless number of times and left him in Al's armour three times. No doubt George was going to add a few more to the list. They tried their best but it seemed that Kit just knew how to out do them. I remember leaving Kit with the four guys on Roy and mine's anniversary. I have no idea what went on but when we returned to the house Breda was green, Fuery had his feet tied together, Falman was locked in the wardrobe and Havoc had both his hands stuck in two jars. Kit was playing peacefully with Hayate in the living room under the supervision of George while the others tried to clean the house. Since then, George and Gracier had been the ones to call.

George greeted us as we got off the train with a salute and quickly began to fill Roy in over what he had missed. When she had explained everything that had gone off in the last few days, including the fact Havoc got dumped, General Raven had fallen down the stairs and was in hospital (George wasn't involved), Alisha had chicken pox and Breda was now dating Havoc's ex which meant the two weren't talking. Roy nodded as she talked. When she had finished, Roy looked at her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Hmm?" she said, "Oh, Queenie got fed up of me and decided I should return to Central before I got bored."

"What's happening in Briggs?" Roy asked. He put his arm round my waist and ushered us towards the exit, carrying his suitcase in his free hand. George was carrying mine in a lofty sort of way.

"Nothing much," she replied, "Although I met Miles' replacement while I was there. He's a weird guy."

"Who was it?" I asked. George looked like she was thinking as we continued to walk to the exit of the station.

"Some Colonel by the name of Archer?" she said, not really sure of the name. I looked up at Roy who seemed annoyed.

"Archer?" he repeated, "Why would he be up there?"

"I haven't a clue," George replied quickly, "By the way, you have to sign some things for me otherwise I may get thrown into the stockade."

"What did you do?" Roy asked, sighing loudly at the thought of more paperwork. I smirked as I waited for George's explanation of why she was going to be sent to the stockade.

"Nothing much," George replied, "And I mean nothing much."

Her shoulders sagged as she went to explain how she had been drinking with her old friends and roommates when Archer had seen them and tried to flirt with her. I found myself laughing as she admitted that, in retrospect, trying to stab a Colonel in the hand with a metal arrow wasn't the best idea. Roy merely shook his head, though amused at the thought of Archer being threatened.

George drove me home while Roy walked to headquarters. He was having to report straight to the Fuhrer the moment he got back. It didn't really matter to Roy because it only took half an hour to report everything. While George drove she began to tell me about Kit and how he had behaved. This was her usual thing since she looked after him the most.

"He may need a new pair of trousers," she told me.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because Ed transmuted them into a skirt because Kit called him a midget," George explained casually. I sighed, shaking my head. "And Breda and his girlfriend lost him in the park."

"Again?" I asked, "From now on Breda's not allowed to take him to the park."

"Mustang will have to requisition a new desk also," George continued. At this I raised my eyebrow at her, needing a little more explanation from her. George merely shrugged. "I may have accidentally left a firework under it."

"You didn't," I said, half pleading, half asking. George smirked.

"Kit managed to set it off just as Raven walked through the door. It hit the desk and then shot towards him. Raven ran out of the room with the damn thing still coming after him," George explained, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"I hope you told Kit off," I told her.

"I did," she replied, "I told him not to set fireworks off since it was dangerous and in future if he found any to bring them to me straight away. Then I gave him ice cream 'cos I was so proud."

"You're just as bad as the guys sometimes," I stated. George nodded. I glanced at her but she was too busy concentrating on the road to acknowledge me. I didn't doubt she saw me look at her. Why in the whole of Amestres did I get stuck with odd people. True, I had married an alchemist who created fire out of my own free will but the others had been thrown into my life without my consent. What I worried about was the effect of such people on my son. I shrugged it off.

"We're not that bad," George told me, "Honestly. I mean, it is true that I doubt any of the guys and I will ever have children of our own but we're not awful guardians. As long as he's safe."

"Physically, maybe. Mentally, most definitely not," I replied. George shot me a glare. Her focus soon returned to the road and stayed there for the rest of the journey. Soon we pulled up outside the familiar house.

George turned off the engine as I climbed out of the car. I stood looking up at the house for a moment or two, before I felt a nudge. George had already grabbed my suitcase and was by my side. She looked over me, a genuinely concerned look in her eye. I brushed her off as I walked to the house. George followed a few steps behind me, hanging back a little to watch out for anything suspicious. As I approached the front door I heard Hayate begin to bark wildly.

The door was opened for me by Gracier. She smiled warmly at me.

"Welcome home," she said.

"Thank you, Gracier," I replied, stepping inside the house. I was instantly jumped on by two things. One of them was Hayate the dog, the other was my son, Kit. I brushed the dog off me and picked up my son.

"Mummy," Kit said happily, like I hadn't seen him in years, "Back!"

"Yes I am, Kit," I replied. I bent down to stroke Hayate's head.

"Auntie Geowge," Kit yelled as George closed the door behind her. George merely waved at the toddler. "Mummy, mummy, mummy."

"Yes, Kit?" I asked the boy in my arms. He looked up at me with his reddish brown eyes, a gleeful smile plastered across his face.

"You back! Me happy!" Kit yelled. I smiled and put him back on the floor. I turned now to Gracier.

"I hope everything has been alright for you," I said. Gracier nodded.

"He's an angel really," Gracier said, "Until there's a storm."

"There was a storm?" I asked. Gracier nodded slowly, looking towards George rather than me.

"Quite a big one," Gracier added, "Thankfully, George had it under control."

"Jean deserves some of the credit too," George said, "Though you wouldn't have thought the kid had had three hours of sleep the way he was in the morning. Up at six, like clockwork, harassing Jean and me with full force by seven."

"Havoc stayed over?" I asked. George nodded.

"All of us fell asleep on the sofa," George replied with a shrug. I smiled.

"He prefers to be with his dad when there's a storm," I said, "Otherwise he just wails."

"That's what I figured," George said, "I'll be leaving now. No doubt said dad will be lost without me."

"Keep out of trouble," I told her as she left the building. George gave me a salute before slipping out of the room. I walked past Gracier and sat down on a sofa. Kit immediately came over and leapt on my knee.

"Is something wrong?" Gracier asked me.

"Just tired," I replied, "It's been a stressful few days."

Gracier nodded as she slid onto the sofa onto me. She began to tell me about what I'd missed over the past few weeks but it was of no importance to me. I pretended to listen as she told me about the other mums she had introduced me to, how the children were and what the husbands were up to. As I smiled and nodded at her I began to think about what we had learnt since getting from the East.

We had met a Colonel Asquith who ran the stockade. While Roy was making talk with the over zealous Colonel, I had been in contact with Bulldog. Bulldog's sentence just seemed to be getting longer and longer the more time he spent there. Originally he was there for four years; that had doubled. He was more than happy to tell me some information about what was happening with the other Glacier Guards. Three had been sent into conflict up in the north, all presumed dead. The conflict was fast becoming a war with Drachma, but the Fuhrer and the brass didn't seem to care. They were sending more and more troops up there but Bulldog's place was secure in the stockade.

Gracier looked at me oddly before breaking out into a smile. I blinked a few times before she pointed at Kit. He was asleep with his head on my lap. I stroked the mop of black hair gently, not wanting to wake him up.

"So," Gracier said, "How does it feel to be home?"

"You have no idea how good it feels," I replied.

**I'll update either on Friday or Saturday to make up for the lack of updates :) Sorry once again! Please don't forget to review :) They remind me to do things :)**

**RSx**


	47. Separate Paths

**So here's the next chapter as promised :) I am not looking forwards to my next year at University. It looks a little busy :( And I'm supposed to be getting a job too! **

** Anyway, back to the story :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA :(**

**Separate Paths**

"And that's why you ignorant boob!" I heard George before the door swung open. It was unusual to hear her voice raised so much. I glanced from my seat on the sofa to the front door. Kit was perched next to me. He looked equally intrigued to why George was yelling. Kit suddenly turned to me.

"Mummy, what boob?" he asked shyly. I let out a sigh.

"I'll tell you later," I replied as Roy stepped into the living room. Kit jumped up and rushed to his father's side.

"Daddy!" he sang as he hugged Roy's knees. Roy laughed as he bent down and picked Kit up. George walked round Roy with Havoc a few steps behind her.

"All I'm saying is-" Havoc was saying.

"All you were saying was that I can't do anything, right? That everything I do has to go through you and him, right?" George cut across. Havoc frowned at her. I sensed some tension between the two, a tension Roy and Kit seemed oblivious to. "Are all my orders going to have to be looked over and approved by you too?"

"It's nothing like that," Havoc snapped, "I just mean that-"

"That I'm so ill prepared for a transfer that I have to rely on others to get me out of it?" George asked folding her arms. My eyes shifted from Havoc and George to Roy and Kit. Roy was trying to 'steal' Kit's nose, but Kit was putting up a fight by pushing his father's hands away.

"I'm not saying any of that!" Havoc yelled, "Geez, won't you listen to me for one second?"

"No," George replied stubbornly, "Evening, Riza."

"I was wondering when I was going to get a hello," I said. George smiled at me. Havoc glared at her before coming to sit beside me on the sofa. "Is there something going on?"

"George is being transferred for a few weeks," Roy replied, "I was listening, I just chose to ignore."

"Transferred?" I asked, "Where too?"

"Thee Briggs," George replied, "So I can help with some Drachmarian trouble."

"Geowge going way?" Kit asked.

"Only for a short while, honey," George replied, taking the toddler out of Roy's arms. George joined Havoc and me on the sofa, although she completely blanked Havoc.

"The conflict in the North has escalated?" I asked. Roy nodded.

"Yeah. We were waiting for it to turn sour, but the Brass is keeping a lid on it," Roy explained, "They're trying to reassure us that they're doing the best they can by sending the best to the action to contain it, which means we'll be without George for a few weeks."

"I get a break at last," George added. I smiled as she ruffled my son's hair.

"Daddy? What boob?" Kit asked again. Roy blinked several times before opening and shutting his mouth. I smirked at him as he tried to think of a way to answer. George laughed.

"A boob is a very stupid person, like Uncle Jean over there," George replied. Havoc rolled his eyes and stood up.

"Well, I'll leave you to it, Chief," he told Roy before heading towards the door. George passed Kit to me and jumped up from her seat.

"See you tomorrow, Mustang," George said, "Bye bye Kit."

"Bye auntie Geowge!" Kit yelled.

"Bye Riza," George said, finally addressing me. I waved at her as she walked to the door. Havoc had already disappeared from the room and was halfway down the garden path by the time George closed the door.

"Any reason for that?" I asked. Roy let out a sigh and shrugged.

"I have no idea," he replied. He jumped onto the sofa beside me, putting his arm round my shoulders. We both looked at Kit. Kit was watching his godparents through the window with a sad look on his face.

"Mummy?"

"Yes, Kit?"

"Auntie Geowge and Uncle Ean get vorce?" he asked.

"Vorce?" Roy repeated, trying to understand what the toddler meant.

"No dear," I said, "They aren't getting a divorce."

"Divorce?" Roy asked, as I plopped Kit on his knee, "Kiddo, they're not like mummy and daddy you know. They've just had a fall out that's all."

"Fall out?" Kit asked, tilting his head to the side, "Cos Auntie Geowge go way?"

"Exactly," Roy replied with a nod, "Both mummy and me sad also."

"Me three!" Kit chorused. I laughed as I walked towards the kitchen.

Kit watched the conversation between George and Roy like it was a game of tennis. He was confused to why his godmother was getting on a train. Suddenly his attention slipped to Havoc on my left. I glanced to see Havoc slip a lollipop into his mouth. A few minutes later he passed one to Kit.

"Stop giving my son sugar, Havoc," Roy snapped. He shook his head before returning to the conversation with George.

"You know, no matter how many times I see this conversation, I still find it amusing," I muttered to Havoc. Havoc chuckled.

"Yeah, it used to be a rare treat for us when you gave the Chief this lecture," he agreed, "You used to threaten shooting at him. Churchill threatens him with fireworks and other pranks."

"He never learns," I commented. I remembered the first time George went to Briggs for a few weeks. Roy had of course neglected his duties, alongside his subordinates, which meant that when George came back they had hell to pay. All I know of the incident was that jelly* was involved.

Finally George stopped telling Roy what to do and gave him a salute.

"Good bye, sir," she said.

"Come home safe," he warned her. George nodded before walking to Kit and I. Kit leant out to hug her.

"Seeya Kit," George told the toddler.

"Bring back present," Kit replied.

"I'll bring you back the best present I can find," she agreed.

"You spoil him," I told her but she merely shrugged. She turned to face me. "Keep low. Don't let your guard down. Get back safe."

"Yes, ma'am," she said with a smirk and a salute. I hugged her.

"I mean it," I warned. She chuckled. Finally she turned to Havoc who was trying his best to look nonchalant. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You going to tell me to be careful?" she asked.

"No, because I know you won't listen to me," he replied. George smiled as she hugged him. Havoc held her tightly for a few seconds before he released her. "You'll miss your train."

George nodded before she walked back to Roy. She picked up a suitcase by his feet and turned to face him one last time.

"Anything else, sir?" she asked.

"Come back alive, that's an order, Lieutenant," he barked. George saluted once again and walked to the train. She paused for a second, turning back to Roy.

"Tell Falman I will join the betting pool," she said, "Ten bucks on Fuery stealing this one."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Havoc roared. George winked and stepped onto the train. Havoc's scowl immediately lifted as soon as she was out of view. Roy walked over to him a clamped a hand on his shoulder.

"Some men aren't meant to have girlfriends, Havoc" was all he said before we left the station. Havoc gawked after us not totally believing what Roy had just said to him. Finally he left the platform to join us back in the car.

He drove us to headquarters. Roy needed to finish off some paper work before we left for lunch. I rarely stepped foot in headquarters now a days. People knew Kit a lot more than they knew me. As we walked down the halls I noticed how little things had changed in the last few years. It had been well over a year since I had last gone to Roy's office. A few secretaries stopped Roy to pass on messages from a General or a Major or someone. I noticed that more than one note had a heart drawn on the envelope. I gave Roy a glare before brushing past the fourth secretary in a huff, allowing Havoc to direct me in the direction of the office.

"I forgot how you act," Havoc muttered to me as we entered the office, "That's why you don't come here often, right?"

"Yes," I replied, letting out a sigh as I set Kit down on his feet. Kit instantly ran to Fuery and leapt on his knee.

"Uncle Furry!" he greeted the sergeant.

"Hey, Hawkeye," Breda said, "Welcome to the fun house."

"Fun?" I asked, looking round the office. Breda chuckled. "You have a weird sense of fun, Breda."

"I'd rather not annoy Churchill," Breda said as he reached for a stapler. He tugged on it, but it remained stuck to the desk. Breda let out a sigh. He went in his desk drawer but found that it wouldn't open. He let out a low groan. "Too late."

"Tough luck, Breda," Havoc sniggered as he walked to his own desk. Breda sat back in his chair, glaring across at Havoc like he had some vendetta against him.

"I'm here for an update," I told Breda, prompting him to give me some sort of information. He merely shrugged.

"As of yet, I can't find out any information about the North," he replied calmly, "It's sort of a good thing that Churchill is being sent up there. She'll be able to tell us everything we want to know."

"That's not what I wanted to hear," I muttered. Breda gave me a reassuring smile. He was about to say something else when the door was swung open. It made a banging sound as it swung back and hit the wall behind it. Every pair of eyes turned to the door.

"Brother, you really should be quieter when entering the Colonel's office," Alphonse told his brother in his usual sheepish way.

"Big brover!" Kit cheered.

"Oh, the kid's here?" Ed asked, before looking at me, "Hey, Riza. Where's the useless lump you call a husband?"

"Flirting with some secretaries, no doubt," I replied. Al closed the door behind him while Ed marched into the room.

"How's it going, squirt?" he asked Kit.

"Little brover!" Kit replied, lunging forwards to hug the alchemist. Ed sighed.

"So what's the occasion?" Ed asked, looking round at me, "It's not everyday you come into the office, Riza."

"Has something happened while we've away?" Al asked.

"Wait a minute," Ed snapped looking round quickly, "Where's George? She told me to come and see her when we got back."

"She's been transferred North," Breda explained. Havoc got up from his seat and walked to George's desk. He opened her top drawer and pulled out a file.

"She left you this though," Havoc said, handing Ed the file. Ed took it slowly but didn't open it. He looked from Havoc to me to Kit. He was about to say something when Roy walked into the office, closing the door quietly behind him. He let out a sigh before looking round his office.

"Fullmetal? What a surprise. I thought you'd forgotten where headquarters was," Roy taunted.

"I came to get a file from George," Ed snapped, going a shade of pink. Roy smirked as he walked to his own desk.

"Just a file?" Roy went on. Ed scowled at Roy with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Kit sensed the tension and ran to me.

"Mummy, little brover kill daddy?" he asked me quietly.

"Maybe," I replied. Kit pouted.

"Me no want daddy die," Kit told me with a Roy like nod. I smiled as Roy turned to Kit.

"You have so little faith in me, Kit," Roy said. He walked over to us. He pecked me on the cheek before picking his son up and carrying him over to his desk. I followed, sitting myself on the corner of Roy's desk. "I'm actually quite glad you're here, Fullmetal."

"How so?" Ed asked.

"I have a little mission for you," Roy went on, "It's nothing too serious, but it would be a real help."

"Alright," Ed said, "But if its baby sitting, you've got another thing coming."

"Like I would trust you with Kit. Al yes, you no. Anyway, I need you to go to the East for a week or so," Roy said casually, "Saves Riza and me a job. The Fuhrer wants you to probe the area for new State Alchemists. I'll allow you to take Havoc if you want."

"Me?" Havoc asked, scratching his head, "Why me?"

"Why not? You haven't been East since we moved here," Roy replied. Havoc nodded like he agreed. Roy turned back to Ed. "So, Fullmetal? What will it be?"

"Fine," Ed snapped, "But Al is allowed to come too."

"Of course," Roy agreed, "But I have a little job for Al too."

"For me?" Al piped up.

"Do you know how to play chess?" Roy asked, smirking his usual smirk.

* Jello not jam


	48. The Chill of Cold

**This was 9 pages long. I didn't think it was that long, but oh well. Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it :) Be warned, there is a mother's meeting included in this chapter. Also all the spelling mistakes in the speach I know about and are made on purpose. Thank you.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**The Chill of Cold**

Autumn pooled into Central over the next few weeks. The nights began to get darker quicker and the trees began to loose their leaves. There was still no word back from George. She had seemingly disappeared. Ed had returned with several would be Alchemists from the east while Al and Havoc seemed to be a little quieter than usual. In the case of Alphonse, I bet my grandfather was to blame. As for Havoc, his girlfriend had dumped him for a guy who reminded me strangely of Fuery.

Kit, on the other hand, was a bundle of energy. Him and his friends would go into the back garden and have leaf wars. The mothers who Gracier had introduced me too weren't very pleased by son's behaviour most of the time, especially when their children returned covered in mud. On a particular day we were walking through the park. I had Hayate on his lead while we walked on a path. The children were running round us, playing some sort of game I didn't follow.

"So, Riza," said one of the mothers named Delia. She looked at me with a harsh glare. She had a long thin nose and small, dark eyes on a pale and thin face. Roy referred to her as 'Ratty'. I had corrected him the past but I gave up when he refused to call her by her real name behind her back. To his credit he never called her that to her face. I nodded at Delia. "I hear your friend Havoc is back on the market?"

"He is," I replied with a nod of the head. There was a chorus of giggles. I glanced to Gracier to see her cheeks glow red. Apparently, they thought it would be a good idea for Alisha to have another dad and Havoc, it seemed, was the ideal choice. I glanced at Hayate, who seemed to share the same thoughts as me on the topic. "Military men are always so busy. Especially if they work for a State Alchemist."

"I don't know about that, Riza," Delia said, "I mean he seems to have plenty of time to look after Kit."

"He does seem like a natural father," remarked a dumpy woman called Patricia. You can only guess what Roy called her.

"A naturally screwed up father, perhaps," I muttered loud enough for Gracier to hear. Gracier smirked knowing full well what I meant. Patricia glared at me.

"Are you saying Gracier shouldn't get remarried?" Patricia snapped.

"I'm not saying that," I replied calmly, "I mean that Gracier should make her own choice. After all it's her who will have to live with the decision."

"Thank you, Riza," Gracier said brightly, "I don't mind not having a man around."

"I wish I could draw a comparison," said Helen, a blonde haired woman with rather large breasts. The other mums giggled. "How about you, Riza? You're the one who's only been married a short while. How do you rate single life?"

"I don't miss it," I replied honestly, "But single life didn't tend to come home drunk every Friday night."

There was another chorus of giggles.

"If you weren't married to your husbands, who would you marry now?" Delia asked. This was the usual game we played. The answers varied from week to week. The winner was the one with the most outrageous reason for marrying another person.

"I'd marry the baker's son," Helen answered, "He's just turned eighteen! Just think, fresh buns every morning!"

"You're so bad," Delia remarked, "I'd marry the Pharmacist, for obvious reasons."

"Ooo, I'd have to go with Helen," Patricia said, "The baker's son. He's just so cute! And we all know who Gracier would pick."

"Riza? How about you?" Helen asked, before Gracier could argue back.

"No competition, Hayate," I replied without a thought, "He's clean, doesn't drink and only begs for food."

There was a loud chorus of laughter from the mothers now.

"How do you come up with this, Riza?" Delia asked. I shrugged.

"You pick up on things while listening to my husband's subordinates bicker with each other," I replied. We continued to walk for a while, talking about some gossip. I listened in seeing as they were talking about some major's wife.

"That reminds me," Helen said suddenly, "I heard from Major Banks last week that they were expecting General Armstrong in Central."

"Armstrong?" Gracier asked, her eyes darting to me for a split second, "From the North?"

"Yeah," Helen said with a nod, "I have no idea why she's coming here."

"I wonder if she's being replaced," Delia wondered aloud. Their eyes seemed to settle on me, expecting me to know what was going on. I knew nothing about Armstrong coming to Central.

"It's a surprise to see her come from Briggs," I said, "Maybe she got promoted."

"If she's coming back then maybe George will be," Gracier suggested. I shrugged again.

"Maybe," I said.

"George is that woman who works for the Colonel, right?" Patricia asked, a note of disgust in her tone, "I remember meeting her. She's such a rude girl."

"She's military," I said, "All the women are a little rude in the military. The higher the rank, the ruder they are."

"I wonder what the General will be like," Helen muttered. I was about answer when Hayate tugged on his lead. He barked as he pulled on his lead. Not expecting him to do this, he managed to pull free from my grasp. I watched him run onto the grass then jump through some bushes. The mothers watched him disappear into the bush.

"What's with Hayate?" Gracier asked.

"GET OFF ME YOU STUPID MUTT!" roared a reply. It sounded like Breda and the sound of laughter that followed the outburst sounded like Havoc. We walked to the bush and peered over the bushes to see Havoc and Breda with a woman who was fussing over Hayate.

"Hawkeye," Breda said, jumping to attention, "Nice to see you."

"Breda, Havoc," I replied looking from the two officers to the woman, "What are you doing in the park?"

"We're showing Private Tserkov around Central," Havoc replied, pointing to the woman. I glanced at the woman, noting she was wearing the state uniform. I felt the mothers lean forwards so they could get a better look at her. She was young looking with pale porcelain skin and rosy cheeks. Her hair was ebony and cut to her shoulders. Her fringe was pulled back and clipped to the top of her head. At the minute she was tickling Hayate's stomach and chatting in Drachmarian.

"A foreigner?" Helen asked, "I've never seen a foreign soldier before."

"Not in our uniform," Delia agreed.

"Private," Breda said addressing the woman. She looked up at him before looking over to us. Her eyes were a weird sort of grey colour. She stood up quickly, brushing off her trousers. She gave a salute at us before bowing. I glanced over at Breda for an explanation but he just shrugged.

"This is Riza Mustang, Colonel Mustang's wife," Havoc said pointing to me, "And her friends."

"Zis iz your dog?" the Private asked, "E's such a cute ting!"

Her accent was thick. I could tell from her accent alone that she was from Drachma. I nodded.

"His name is Hayate," I said.

"My name iz Anja Tserkov," the Private introduced, "I vork for General Armstrong."

"So it is true then," Helen said excitedly, "The General is here!"

"Yar," Tserkov agreed. She turned her eyes to Havoc and smiled at him. I glanced at Havoc to gage his reaction but to my surprise there wasn't one. He merely smiled back at her. She began to talk in Drachmarian although none of us could understand. Havoc's smile faded for a few seconds before he nodded.

"Da," he replied. I blinked a few times.

"You speak Drachmarian?" I asked. Havoc nodded again.

"Just some stuff," Havoc replied with a shrug, "George was teaching me."

"E iz quite good," Tserkov added.

"Uncle Ean!" Kit's voice boomed through the park. Havoc was instantly jumped on by Kit. How he remained on his feet was a mystery to me.

"He's a natural," cooed Helen, Delia and Patricia. I heard Gracier let out a long sigh.

"Hey, Kit," Havoc greeted my son. Kit was looking at Tserkov with interest. He ignored his godfather for a few seconds until he asked who the 'pretty lady' was. Havoc was about to answer when Kit cut him off again, implying that George would be mad if Havoc had a new girlfriend. Havoc just shook his head.

"You're just like your father," Havoc muttered, "This is Private Tserkov. She's just arrived in Central."

"Oh," Kit said, making a small 'o' with his mouth, "Nice to meet you."

"This is the Colonel's son," Havoc quickly explained to Tserkov, "I'm his godfather."

"Ah," Tserkov said, "So e iz von zi Colonel vos talking about?"

"Yeah," Havoc said.

"The accent is going to drive me insane," Breda muttered to me. I concealed a smile as I went to scrape Kit off of Havoc.

"We won't keep you," I said to him.

"It's no problem," Havoc replied. I turned to Tserkov as she handed me the lead for Hayate.

"It was very nice to meet you," I said. She nodded.

"Bye Havoc," the three mothers said, waving at Havoc. Tserkov looked a little confused for a second. Havoc said something in Drachmarian that made her giggle.

"Seeya later, Hawkeye," Breda said as Havoc and Tserkov, "Let's try and keep lover boy away from the General's body guard, eh?"

"Good luck with that," I replied dryly. I waited for the three soldiers to disappear out of view before I put Kit back on the ground. He looked up at me with wide eyes.

"It seems Havoc has a new girlfriend," Gracier remarked.

"You should have gotten in there quicker!" Helen replied loudly. Gracier let out a sigh.

"Mummy, where Auntie Geowge?" Kit asked. All attention shifted to him. I looked down at my son before sinking to his level.

"She's fine, Kit," I told him, "She's probably annoying Buccaneer as we speak."

"OK," Kit said but his tone seemed unconvinced. I glanced at Gracier who seemed to share my feelings of worry. I would ask Roy about it later that night. Perhaps George had returned and Havoc was too busy with Tserkov to mention it. Then again, George seemed to come first even if Havoc was dating.

I repressed a sigh, not wanting to upset Kit. Kit stroked Hayate before taking off to find his friends.

"He's a really sensitive kid," Helen said, "But I'm sure George is OK."

Unsurprisingly, meeting Private Tserkov was just the beginning of things to come. Havoc seemed to be the only person OK with the current situation. Both Tserkov and a Lieutenant called Henschel had accompanied the General to Central. As of yet, there was no news about George.

The General appeared at my door one afternoon with Tserkov right behind her. I had been hosting a play date with the children and the mothers had been present when the General arrived. Naturally they stayed to get the gossip. The General didn't seem to mind them being there.

"It's a pleasure meeting you," Patricia said, "After all, it's not everyday you meet the highest ranking woman in the military."

"How are you getting along with Mustang?" the General asked me, ignoring Patricia all together.

"Very well," I replied. The General smiled.

"I was expecting him to have you work for him unofficially," the General said, "I mean his Aunt works the unofficial business, right?"

"I'm not sure I follow," I said as a way of denial. The General just smirked at me. I heard footsteps running into the room. I turned to see Kit run up to me, showing me a leaf he had found in the back garden. It was frosted in a weird sort of way that didn't seem natural. I held it carefully in my palm.

"Look it!" Kit was singing over and over. Suddenly he became aware of the General and Tserkov. He looked at Tserkov and smiled. "Hello."

"Oh, hello," Tserkov said in her heavily accented voice, "It'z zo nice to zee you."

"This is the brat?" the General asked. Kit looked at the General. It looked like he was frowning at her. "He's cute, I'll give you that, but not enough for a promising soldier such as yourself to give up a career in the military for."

"If you came to lecture me, do it in private," I replied, rubbing Kit's head. Kit smiled at me.

"Mummy, who mean witch?" Kit asked. There was a short intake of breath and a slight snicker from Tserkov. I looked at Tserkov in surprise. She was trying to regain her composure before the General could catch her laughing. The General stared at Kit before breaking out into a smile.

"I must admit, he has balls, just like his mother," she commented, "Let's hope he stays that way."

"This is General Olivier Armstrong," I told Kit, "She's not a witch."

"Auntie Ollie?" Kit asked. There was another laugh from Tserkov but the General ignored it once again. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her nod.

"Yes, Kit," I replied, "Auntie Ollie."

"Auntie Ollie," Kit said turning to the General, "Like me leaf?"

He showed her the frosted leaf he had brought in to show me. The General looked at it and then half glanced to Tserkov. Tserkov looked amazed at the leaf.

"It'z pretty," Tserkov said.

"Tserkov, go play with Kit for a while," the General ordered. Tserkov nodded. She offered Kit her hand. They walked to the back door. The General sat back in her seat. I was expecting her to talk about something relating to the military but I remembered the other mothers were still there. Instead she merely said: "I'm not a fan of children."

"The woman's a menace," Breda was saying. Roy had called an emergency meeting at the house to talk about the sudden appearance of the General and her sidekicks. The four guys were sat about the living room with Roy lounging on the sofa next to me. Roy and I exchanged looks.

"I've been saying that for years," he said. I elbowed him in the stomach.

"And her two minions? They're even worse," Breda snapped, folding his arms.

"Tserkov isn't that bad," Havoc remarked. To my surprise Fuery and Falman nodded.

"She helped me with a radio," Fuery said.

"Her knowledge of literature is amazing," Falman added. Roy frowned at Falman.

"Glad to know we have our priorities right," he mumbled. He shuffled beside me. "We need to figure out why she's here."

"The General?" Fuery asked.

"Yes the General," Roy snapped. Havoc looked thoughtful for a few seconds.

"Tserkov did imply that the General had been ordered here by the Fuhrer," Havoc said, "The General had to come with Henschel and another officer. That's why Tserkov was picked."

"Apparently Tserkov has only been in this military for a little over a month," Falman said, "But she said she's been working as a double agent for over ten years."

"So why would Olivier trust her?" Roy asked.

"Get the Drachmarians to attack Central for Armstrong?" Havoc suggested in a joking manor.

"Makes sense," Breda muttered, "Another army to fight this one."

"I doubt Tserkov is a bad double agent," Fuery said cheerfully, but the others weren't convinced.

"Something wrong, Riza?" Roy asked me. I jumped, not expecting to be asked such a question at a time like this. "You look a little down."

"I think Kit is doing Alchemy," I said, "I've been watching him over the last few days. He keeps finding frosted things."

"Frosted?" Roy asked. I nodded.

"A leaf, a rock, a twig," I said listing a few of the objects, "I think he finds them pretty."

"The kid's a genius," Breda said.

"But he's not drawing any circles," I snapped, "So I'm not sure."

"Weird," Havoc remarked. I looked at Roy who seemed pensive. In the end he let out a sigh.

"I'll talk to him," Roy stated. Hayate walked into the room. He stood in front of the door with his nose wrinkled. I glanced at him, confused by his actions. Roy stood up to see if there was anything at the door but, before he could get to it, the door swung open. Hayate growled and barked for a second until he seemed to realise who it was.

George stepped into the house, wearing a confused look on her face.

"A party? And I wasn't invited?" she asked, smirking.

"George?" Roy questioned, "Since when have you been back?"

"About an hour," she replied with a shrug, "I dropped off my bags and came here."

"Weird," Havoc muttered, "The General comes here and so does she."

"I heard the General had come to Central," George said, "Buca said as much. How's Kit?"

"He's fine," I said quickly, rising to my feet. I walked over to her and gave her a hug. "We were so worried about you."

"Sorry I couldn't write," George said, "I was on glacier duties."

"Oh," I said, taking a step back.

"How are things in the North?" Roy asked. George let out a sigh before she turned to face the other guys. They looked pretty relieved apart from Havoc, who was frowning at her. She glanced at him before smirking at her.

"What's wrong, Havoc? You look like you didn't want me to come back," George said. Havoc chuckled and smiled.

"Sorry," he said, but he looked away shortly afterwards. George looked at him then at the other guys, who just shrugged.

"The North?" Roy pushed. George nodded.

"It's all sorted now," George replied, "It was just a little disagreement, nothing to worry about. So what's the scoop on Queenie? Here without Buca? That can't be good, right?"

"Now you mention it, it is a bit strange," Roy said going to sit down on the sofa. I looked towards Havoc. He was staring at the floor in a not-quite-there way. I shrugged it off, figuring that he was annoyed at her still, and went to sit next to Roy.

**Yay! New characters :) Me's likes new characters. A quick note, I go back to uni next week so I don't know when I'll next update. Sorry. Don't forget to review because the more reviews I get means the more likely i am to update! Thank You!**

**RSx**


	49. Without a Paddle

**FINALLY! I have finished this chapter... Sorry for the very, very, very, very long wait but I've just been so busy lately that I just haven't had time to finish this chapter off T_T. I've done it in little bits and tonight is the first night I've had that I could finish it. You're getting it hot off the press, so to speak. Sorry in advance for any spelling and grammar mistakes. It's been done in a rush I'm afaid :(**

**On a good note, I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, it belongs to its creator Hiromu Arakawa :) But I do own George and Tserkov :D yay me!**

**Without a Paddle**

Kit was playing in the back yard one afternoon like there was nothing wrong in the world. What would I give to think like that again. I was more than sure that he was doing alchemy on his own, but I could never see him do it. He seemed to wait until I went to answer the door or turn my back for a second, then he'd come running into the house holding something he'd 'found'. I became more determined to see him transmute something as the days went by.

There was a knock at the door. I quickly diverted my attention away from my son and went to answer it. I opened the door slowly, wondering who it was. I didn't usually have visitors at this time during the day, unless the mothers were round. For a few seconds I worried about Roy, wondering if anything had happened to him. Fortunately when I opened the door, I saw Tserkov standing there.

"Zorry," she said, "I came to talk to you about zome zingz ze General wanted. May I come in?"

"Certainly," I said, stepping to the side to allow her to get in the house. Tserkov looked around nervously before stepping in. She quickly closed the door behind her.

"Zorry, but may I azk a queztion?" she asked, "Doez every zoldier get followed in Ameztrez?"

"You were followed?" I asked. Tserkov nodded before pulling out a folder.

"Yar," she replied. As soon as the word left her lips, there was another knock at the door. Tserkov quickly hid the folder before stepping out of the way of the door. I slowly opened the door, expecting to see a shady looking character but I was surprised to see it was only George.

"George?" I asked, letting her in. She looked at Tserkov weirdly for a moment before turning back to me.

"Sorry," she said, "I saw her coming to your house. I wanted to make sure everything is OK."

"Yar," Tserkov cut in, "I vas asked by General Armstrong to deliver an in-va-ta-tion?"

"Invitation?" George asked, looking slightly confused, but Tservok merely nodded.

"Yar," Tserkov replied, "Zi General zaid zat zee wanted to invite Mrs Mustang to a afternoon tea."

"OK," George said, looking between us, "I thought I'd better make sure."

"Thanks, George," I said as she turned to walk out of the house. I closed the door when I saw her reach the garden gate. I turned back to Tserkov.

"An afternoon tea?" I asked.

"Yar," Tserkov replied, "Mostly. Zi General wanted me to pazz on zis information to you zo zat your husband may look at it."

"Thank you," I said. She passed me the folder she had been hiding. I was about to ask her why she was hiding this from George when there was an explosion from outside. We instantly raced to the back yard. I heard Tserkov take the safety off her gun as we ran. Next I heard wailing. More precise, Kit's wailing.

I looked out over the garden, instantly seeing Hayate sniffing Kit. In front of where Kit was sat there was a black scorch mark. I rushed to his side.

"Kit?" I asked. Kit turned to my with a black and red face. His hands were black and red as well.

"Mum – my," the child was crying, "It – go – boom!"

"What went boom?" I asked, pulling him close to me so that I could check his hands and face.

"Rock!" he wailed back.

"If he iz burnt, you zould get ice, yar?" Tserkov asked. I nodded. I picked up Kit and carried him to the kitchen. Tserkov looked around for something. She placed her hand on a dish towel and then walked towards the fridge for ice. I watched her with some curiosity as I rinsed Kit's hands underneath the cold water tap. There was no ice in the fridge so why would she look there?

"Er…" she said, "Do you ave zome alk?"

"Alk?" I asked. She looked around some more, suddenly getting a pen and paper from off the kitchen table. I looked over to see what she was drawing when she dashed towards me and filled a cup with water. She went back to the paper and put the cup on it. She put her hands on the paper and closed her eyes.

After a few seconds there was a faint glow of blue light round the cup. Tserkov picked up the cup and hit it on the bottom, making a chunk of ice fall out onto the towel. She then went to wrap the ice up and handed it to me. There was a slight pause before my hands actually reached out for the towel. When I eventually got it, I pressed it against Kit's head, then cheeks.

"You know Alchemy?" I asked.

"Zome," Tserkov replied, "Mozt people know ow to make ice."

"But you can do alchemy?" I asked, eying her up with caution. Tserkov merely shrugged.

"In a manner," she replied, "But my limit iz wiz de glaz of water."

"Surely you could train a little more and use it defensively," I went on as I check Kit's wounds. Tserkov shook her head violently.

"Alchemy zould be for zi people, not for killing zi people," she stated. I nodded at her in agreement. She peered over my shoulder as I removed the ice from Kit's face. He was still crying but there was nothing I could do about that for the minute. I shook my head before placing the ice back on the wound.

"I think I should take him to the hospital," I said. It was a statement rather than a question. Tserkov seemed to sense this and she nodded. I picked up Kit while Tserkov went to retrieve my handbag and coat from the living room.

"Zall I tell zi Colonel?" she asked as we walked to the door. I nodded.

"Please go on to headquarters and tell him what happened," I replied. Tserkov nodded as she opened the door for me. I thanked her as I brushed past her. She paused for a moment, looking outside. I turned to her, confused to why she was waiting when I notice Hayate in the doorway. He was growling at something but I couldn't see what. Tserkov looked around the area before shutting the door and locking it. I heard Hayate barking from inside the house.

"I'll walk you to ze hospital," Tserkov told me in a tone that I knew meant I didn't have a choice. I walked with her down the street, fully aware that Kit was still crying and that the ice was slowly melting in my hand. I glanced at Tserkov as we walked. She was busy searching the area with her eyes. Half wondering what she was looking for, I continued towards the hospital.

"It's only a mild burn," the doctor told me at the clinic. I nodded as Kit continued to bawl on my knee. The doctor glanced at Kit then at me. "Can you tell me how he got burned?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what burned him," I told the doctor, "I took my eyes off him for a few seconds and then I found him crying like this."

"Hmm," the doctor said, not entirely convinced. I kept my face in a neutral expression as the doctor pulled out a bottle of lotion from a cabinet. He handed me the bottle. "Dab his wounds every hour or so with that lotion. It should stop the pain."

"Thank you, doctor," I said. I was just about to get to my feet when the doctor held up his hand.

"You're the wife of the Flame Alchemist, am I right?" he asked. I nodded.

"What does that have to do with this?" I snapped.

"Surely I don't have to explain it any further," the doctor said. I eyed the doctor carefully for a second before I shook my head.

"My husband was at work," I told the doctor in a bitter tone, "He rarely sees Kit enough as it is."

"Who gave you the ice?" the doctor asked, looking at the wet towel in my hand.

"An alchemist happened to be around and helped me out," I replied, "It comes with having an alchemist for a husband."

"I hope your little boy feels better soon," the doctor said, dismissing me. I nodded and led Kit out of the room. I was glad to notice that Kit had finally stopped crying. He was holding the wet towel to his face.

"Let's get you home," I told him. He nodded slowly as we walked towards the exit to the hospital. Kit looked thoughtful for most of the walk home. I knew that expression well. I'd seen it hundreds of times before. It was the expression that alchemists had whenever they were thinking about their research. I shook my head as Kit continued to be in deep thought.

"Kit," I said, making the boy come out of his thoughts, "You shouldn't try to do alchemy when your father isn't around."

"But me want to surprise you and daddy!" Kit yelled.

"I know, Kit," I told him, "But I don't want you getting hurt. Neither does your father."

"OK," Kit said, pouting. I chuckled slightly at his new expression. It was a typical Roy expression. No doubt Kit had learnt it off of his father.

"Yoo hoo! Riza!"

Both Kit and I stopped and turned round to where the voice was coming from. I saw Rebecca running towards from out of the crowd. She was wearing her military uniform which confused me slightly. What was she doing here?

"Auntie Harpy!" Kit yelled. Rebecca's face automatically dropped in a comical sort of way. She looked at Kit with a scowl on her face.

"Becca, not Harpy!" she shouted back. Kit giggled before he leapt to hug her. She hugged him tightly before dropping him carefully to the ground.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Am I not allowed to come to Central or something?" Rebecca snapped. I frowned at her. She waved me off. "Actually I came for a training thing. The Fuhrer asked for me to come especially. Not bad huh?"

"Not at all," I replied.

"I can't wait to show that George how good I am to get the opportunity to be transferred here!" Rebecca went on. She broke out into hysterical laughter suddenly. Kit glanced up at me.

"Auntie Harpy gone mad," he muttered. I smiled at him as I stroked his head.

"That's what I wanted to ask," Rebecca said suddenly, "What's up with Havoc and George? They seemed off earlier. Havoc's a bit moody and George wasn't acting like George at all."

"They've had a lot of work on recently," I explained, "It's probably just that. I haven't noticed anything different with George, but Havoc has been off lately, ever since she came back."

"It's obvious!" Rebecca said triumphantly, "She has a boyfriend!"

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. She walked with us through town, telling me what she thought was up with Havoc. I smiled at Rebecca as she went off in a rant.

"If you feel so strongly for him then tell him," I said suddenly. This made Rebecca freeze on the spot. Her face froze in a weird expression like she was biting into an apple or something. She came back to life a few seconds later, flapping her arms around like a maniac.

"It's not like that!" she yelled, blushing scarlet.

"It's not?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "How can you be going around saying how happy you are that George has a boyfriend because it means Havoc is free when it's not like that?"

"It's complicated," Rebecca said in a quiet voice, "Because I know Havoc doesn't like me. There's nothing worse than liking someone who doesn't look at you in the same way. He says he doesn't want to ruin anything so important as our friendship. I thought he was just scared but I know deep in my heart he's not lying."

"Rebecca," I said, turning to look at her. She had a small, sad smile on her face.

"It's OK," she said with a shake of her head, "He may change his mind afterwards. He doesn't want to jeopardise Mustang. I can understand it but it still kind of stings when I see him."

"I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't realise."

"It's not your fault Riza," Rebecca said with a laugh, "Don't feel sorry for me."

"Mummy, mummy," Kit cheered, suddenly tugging on my arm, "Ice lady!"

"Ice lady?" Rebecca asked as she looked around. I saw a group of military personnel hanging round a building a hundred or so yards in front of us. Tserkov was stood around talking to a few other soldiers.

"Tserkov," I said, pointing her out to Rebecca, "She's new."

"I've seen her before," Rebecca muttered to me, "She's a real nice shot, but she prefers swords though. I saw her sparing with General Armstrong earlier. It was amazing. She easily beat the General down and that's not an easy thing to do."

"I see why Armstrong likes her," I replied. Tserkov turned round and saw me. She glanced over her shoulders before calmly walking towards the three of us.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

"Please, madam," Tserkov said, "We are investigating something here and it is very dangerous. I will advise you to leave."

"Hey," Rebecca snapped, "I don't like your tone."

Tserkov turned her eyes on Rebecca. Her gaze was icy, her features set.

"Please, escort your friend out of here, second lieutenant," Tserkov told her. She turned her back to us and began walking back to the building. She stopped when the building erupted into flame. I covered Kit instantly while Rebecca dropped to the floor. When I turned back towards the building I saw that Tserkov hadn't moved at all. She was gripping her gun tightly. I stared into the flames and saw a shadow racing out of the inferno.

I saw a woman with thick, dark hair in a black low cut dress rush towards us. I moved Kit behind me, wondering what I could do without a gun or any other weapon. As the woman came flying forwards, I heard a few shots. The woman faltered and stopped running. She turned her eyes on Tserkov.

"How pathetic," the woman taunted in a silk like voice, "Guns are useless against me."

"Run!" Tserkov yelled at me. For a split second her accent was gone. Instead it was replaced by fear. I picked up Kit and ran as fast as I could away from the scene.

"Riza!" I heard Rebecca yell after me but I didn't stop. I kept running through town, never looking back because I knew I was being followed. The woman was running not far behind me, catching me up with such ease. I took a sharp right but the woman seemed to anticipate this and was somehow in front of me.

"Run little mouse," the woman said, smiling a horrible smile. I clutched Kit a bit tighter. "You must be worried about your child. He will be in good care. You however will have to die."

"Why are you doing this?" I managed to ask.

"I'll send your husband to you very soon," she went on, like she didn't hear me. She held up her left hand. Her nails began to grow at an alarming rate. They were black, glossy and razor sharp. "This will hurt a bit."

Before she could move there were a few more shots from behind me. The woman seemed surprised that someone was there.

"Hold it right zer," I heard Tserkov's voice bark.

"Another mouse," the woman remarked, "I'll get rid of you first."

BANG. BANG. BANG. The gun echoed in the still air. The woman laughed. She rushed forwards, past Kit and I, towards Tserkov.

It all happened very quickly, it took my brain a few minutes to put the pieces together. The woman was a metre in front of Tserkov when Tsekov dropped to the ground, placing her hand on the floor. There was a bright white light. When it disappeared the woman was trapped in a large block of ice. Tserkov pulled herself away from the floor. I noticed her hands were slightly frosted. She rubbed them on her uniform quickly as she walked over to me.

"It seems I have moved on from freezing water in a cup," she remarked. She gave me a lopsided smile. Slowly I put Kit down on the floor and let out the breath I had been holding for the past few minutes. Kit looked around, confused by the whole event.

"Mummy? Who that?" he asked as he pointed at the woman in the ice. Tserkov walked towards the ice. She pulled a sword from her belt and plunged it into the woman's chest. It was a peculiar place to stab a person, just above her bust where she had a strange tattoo. Instantly the ice and the body started to fizz and fade into a gloopy mess.

"Ew…" Kit commented. Tserkov returned to warming her hands on her uniform to warm them up.

"Let me take you to headquarters," she said, "I need to report this and take a statement from you."

"OK," I replied, sounding a little shaken. Tserkov began to lead us towards headquarters when I saw Roy's team come running in our direction.

"Daddy!" Kit yelled as soon as he saw his father. The boy took off towards his father. Roy swooped down and collected Kit in his arms, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"What the hell happened?" Ed asked, "One minute we hear a homunculus was hiding round here and then this! Come one, explain already."

"It's dead," Tserkov replied bluntly. Ed's jaw dropped.

"What do you mean you killed it?" he roared. I glanced at George who looked equally as shocked. Roy was too busy checking on Kit to notice what the conversation was.

"You can't just kill a homunculus like you cut some cake," George agreed.

"Ho-mun-co-lus? Is zat vot you call zem?" Tserkov asked, slightly surprised, "In my country, we call zem demons. You freeze zem and stab zem ver zey are marked."

"You're insane!" Ed yelled. He suddenly grabbed Tserkov's hands and inspected them. "Why do you have frostbite?"

"Blow back from ze transmutation I did on ze demon," Tserkov replied.

"You froze it by alchemy?" George asked, folding her arms.

"Any Drachmarian can freeze vater," Tserkov replied, with a slightly dark smirk, "You zould know zat."

George's eyes widened for a split second before she turned to me.

"Riza are you OK?" she asked. I nodded. Roy had finished checking Kit over. He strode over to me and gave me a look over.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Just a little confused," I said.

Roy opened his mouth to say something when I heard footsteps running towards me. I saw Rebecca coming towards us, panting heavily, with about ten men behind her.

"Riza, I'm glad you're OK," she said with a crooked smile, "I'm sorry I froze."

"It's OK," I waved off. Everything went quiet when George pulled her gun out on Rebecca. Rebecca glanced at George in shock.

"What's going on?" Rebecca asked.

"I should ask you the same thing," George said, "Why, on the day you turn up in Central, do the Homunculi attack? Why, when you're with Riza, do the Homunculi attack her?"

"I don't know," Rebecca replied, "You can't think it has something to do with me."

"I never said it was you," George said. Rebecca scowled.

Before anyone could say or do anything another shot rung out.

Ed and Tserkov stopped arguing, their heads whipped round towards the source of the shot.

Roy, whose attention had temporally gone to Kit, was suddenly brought back to earth with a bang.

Breda grabbed Havoc's collar and yanked him backwards so that he wouldn't do anything.

George looked down before her eyes skated back to Rebecca's face.

Rebecca collapsed onto the ground, knees first, and then fell limply to one side. I stood stuck to the floor beside her, unable to move a single muscle. Havoc yelled as did Breda and Ed. Roy shouted at George for firing her weapon. I couldn't move. I glanced down to see a trail of blood pouring out of Rebecca's body but I still couldn't react.

Tserkov was the only one who seemed to react accordingly. She quickly knelt beside Rebecca and rolled her onto her back. Tserkov cradled Rebecca while there was nothing but yelling and shouting and wailing around her. Tserkov checked for a pulse. Slowly she bowed her head over Rebecca's ear and whispered something. For a brief second a smile flickered onto Rebecca's face.

"I know," she said. Despite all the chaos around her, she seemed to be the loudest thing in the area even though it was just a whisper. "Get them…"

Her body fell limp. Tserkov held her a little tighter as Rebecca's eyes closed. Slowly Tserkov looked up at me and then looked away. I knew what that meant. It was a universal sign. I dropped to my knees, then onto my bottom.

My best friend had just been killed… by my closest friend…

**Yeah... I don't know where the later part of this chapter came from but I hope it got the shock factor cos it didn't half shock me! Anyway, please read and review :) Your reviews do help me write stuff or remind me to write stuff :) I do need prodding. Until next time when I have five minutes free. Cheerio!**

**RSx**


	50. Left in the Wilderness

**Hehe, sorry again for the long wait. Here is the next chapter :) Thanks to everyone who has reviewed :) I'm hoping to finish this story so I can move onto the sequel in the new year :) More information on that later though.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**Left in the Wilderness**

"It seems I'm always standing over a grave," Roy muttered to me as we stood staring at the gravestone. It was the only evidence to prove that Rebecca Catalina was ever alive. It seemed like only yesterday that we had met at the academy. I remembered her telling me that blondes never got anywhere in the army the moment her eyes settled on me, but she had that cheeky smile on her face at the time. I knew she had been joking. I remembered all the late nights we'd spent awake with a bottle of whiskey, just talking about life and its troubles. How she hugged me when I was sent to Ishval. How she would go on about finding a husband. How much she hated my husband.

Roy nudged me. I glanced around, my hand instantly brushing the tears away from my eyes. The Fuhrer walked past us with his many guards surrounding him. He paid us no attention. Amongst them was George. She didn't look our way either.

"Come on," Roy said, clasping my hand in his tightly. He dragged me away from Rebecca. I tried to pull against him but I found I had no energy. I watched the headstone until we had got to the edge of the cemetery. At the gates, my attention slipped to Havoc. He had his hands in his pockets, chewing on a lolly stick in a rather grim way.

"Havoc," Roy said. Havoc merely nodded but remained silent for a few moments.

"What's going on Colonel?" Havoc asked, his voice in a whisper, "Why would George kill Rebecca. It doesn't add up."

"I know," Roy agreed, "I'm not sure as of yet."

"Can we trust her?" Havoc asked, a trace of anger coming into his tone.

"I don't know," Roy replied. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. I looked at him. "Let's get you home. Havoc, please come with us."

Havoc followed without a word. His eyes cast down onto the floor in front of him. He seemed to be taking Rebecca's death quite hard, as hard as I was taking it. Roy, on the other hand, was seemingly alright with the situation. He had been through it before when Hughes had died. I found myself grateful for him being there with me.

I glanced up the street to see Tserkov talking with Ed. His facial expression was grim but determined. Tserkov passed him a note of some kind. He took it slowly and walked away from her like nothing had happened. Tserkov rubbed her head, scowling ever so slightly. She turned to us, offering us a bow.

"I am zorry for your lozz," she said quietly.

"Thank you," Roy replied when I failed to speak. I turned away from Tserkov, feeling my shame at helplessness rise in my chest. Havoc took this opportunity to walk past us. Tserkov watched him for a second before she stopped him.

"In Drachma, when a person moves on we drink in zer name," she said, "Perhaps you would like to join me?"

"Sure," Havoc replied, "I could drown myself in a beer or a hundred."

"Colonel?" Tserkov asked. Roy declined, telling Tserkov we needed to get home to look after Kit. We split there, Havoc and Tserkov heading towards the centre while Roy and I walked back to the house.

I looked into the quiet living room and flopped onto the sofa. Roy sat down beside me, pulling me into his chest. For the next few hours I just cried, all the time Roy held me.

Things were changing in the office but Roy didn't seem to want to talk about it. George had been moved out and a few people had been shuffled in and out. None had stayed longer than a few days it seemed. To my surprise, I found that George had been removed from the office due to the Fuhrer's request not by Roy's. Now came the horrible task of finding a replacement.

Roy came home one night raving about the new person in his office. First Lieutenant Gaulle was apparently a nosey man, who was efficient but a little too interested in what Roy was doing. Kit watched his father mumble away about Gaulle with some amusement until finally the three year old turned to me.

"Daddy gone mad?" he asked seriously.

"Daddy's been mad for years," I told him, stroking his hair gently. Kit looked up at me with big eyes like he was confused or worried. I gave him a small smile before I returned to cooking some dinner.

"Mummy?" Kit asked, "Where Auntie Geowge?"

"George is very busy at the minute, Kit," Roy replied, "She's working for the Fuhrer now."

"Mummy?" Kit asked, "What a Furr-a?"

"He's our leader, Kit," I answered, rubbing my temples.

"Kit," Roy said, "Why don't you go and play with Hayate a bit?"

"OK," Kit said. He slowly walked out of the kitchen, slightly confused as to why he was being ordered out. Roy walked over to me and took over my task of dinner. I was grateful for it.

"I was thinking about going to Eastern for a week," Roy said calmly, "As a working vacation. You and Kit could go visit your grandparents while I do a bit of work. Would that be nice?"

"I don't need babying," I told him in a sterner voice than I wanted to, "I just need a bit of time to work things out in my head."

"I'll take a few days off," Roy said, "That way I can take Kit off your hands and be here for you just in case."

"That would be better," I replied.

"I am worried about you, you know," Roy said.

"I am too," I admitted, "But I think it's guilt more than anything else."

"Guilt?" Roy asked.

"I couldn't do anything to help her," I explained, "I froze."

"People freeze, Riza," Roy said, putting his arm round my shoulders, "You haven't been a soldier for years, you can't expect not to freeze."

"I know," I said, "But it doesn't offer me any comfort."

"It's not like any of us could do anything," Roy went on. He gently squeezed my shoulders. I nodded slowly.

"I know but it's just like it was with you and Maes," I found myself saying before I fully realised it. Roy's grip tightened for a split second before he chuckled.

"I can understand that perfectly," he muttered, "Back then, I had you to lean on. Don't be frightened of leaning on me, OK?"

"OK," I replied. The phone rang in the living room. Roy kissed my cheek before rushing to answer it. I returned to my cooking, slowly stirring the contents of a pan. I needed to do something but all I could do was look after Kit, maybe walk Hayate or talk to the other mothers. I didn't really feel like talking to people outside my family.

Roy rushed back into the room.

"Riza, we have a problem," he stated. I blinked a few times. "Get Kit."

"Roy?" I asked, confused by his sudden request. I turned the stove off and followed him into the living room. "What's going on?"

"Daddy!" Kit yelled as Roy picked him up.

"No time," Roy told me, plopping Kit in my arms, "Get Hayate and get out of here. Quickly."

"What's happened?" I asked again. Roy rubbed his head.

"Gaulle," Roy muttered darkly, "That's what happened."

I nodded once. I called Hayate over to me. The dog sensed the urgency in my tone and quickly skipped over to me. I carried Kit to the back door before quickly putting his coat on him. I slipped my own coat on.

"Go to Chris," Roy told me, "She'll be able to help you."

"And you?" I asked. Roy kissed my head.

"I'll follow," he replied. He bent down and gave Kit a cuddle. Kit was certainly confused by now but he remained silent. I took his hand and offered him a comforting smile.

"Take care," I told him before dragging Kit out of the back door. Roy closed it behind me and locked it. I walked briskly with Kit running beside me. Hayate ran ahead of us, checking if there were any soldiers around. Whatever had happened at Headquarters had to be in connection with Rebecca's death. I knew it.

I turned a corner and collided with George. She tripped over but some how managed to keep on her feet.

"There you are," she said, relief in her voice, "They're closing in on your house. Come on, quickly."

"So you're helping me?" I asked. She looked at me and nodded.

"Of course," she replied, "Listen, I'll explain everything once you're safe."

We took off, running down the streets, taking this right and that left just to be sure we were out of site. Once in the centre we could easily blend into the crowd. After a few minutes of running I forced myself to stop. I glanced at Kit whose hand was firmly in mine. He was panting harshly. I crouched down.

"Piggy back," I told him. He seemed to get the message and he jumped onto my back, hugging me tightly. George had stopped a few feet in front of me. She watched us as we caught up to her.

"Are you OK carrying him?" she asked. I nodded.

"Let's get going," I said. We began running again. We took the next left turn. It took us onto a side street close to the bars of Central. I was panting heavily now. George seemed OK, but clearly alert. We stepped out on the next corner and heard a click. All of us looked at the person who was holding the gun. Tserkov. Strangely enough, she had her gun pointed at George rather than me.

"What are you doing?" George asked.

"I could ask you ze zame question," Tserkov replied. I looked between the two of them. George was giving Tserkov a death glare while Tserkov seemed to be calm and focused on George.

"Go," George told me, "Get to where ever you need to be."

I nodded and was about to run off when I noticed Hayate. He was barking loudly at Tserkov. I glanced down at him to shush the dog when I saw he wasn't actually barking at Tserkov but at George. George seemed shocked by the dog's actions.

"Sush," she hissed at him but the dog continued to bark. "I don't have time for this."

She pulled out her gun from her holster and aimed it at Hayate. Kit yelped as George squeezed the trigger but it wasn't enough to fire the weapon. Instead George threw the gun at the dog in an aggressive way. Hayate yelped and hid behind Tserkov.

"I guess you're here because you think I'm the spy, right?" George asked. Slowly Tserkov lowered her gun.

"I couldn't be sure until now," Tserkov replied.

"I wasn't the spy," George told her, "I'm on your side."

"I see zat now," Tserkov said. There was movement on either side of me. I glanced round to see that a small group of soldiers had me surrounded. I looked at George.

"You traitor!" I yelled, "You led me into a trap!"

"You seem so surprised," George said with a shrug, "Even after I killed your best friend. She found me out and I had to deal with her. You're far too trusting, Riza Hawkeye."

"Tserkov," I said in a pleading way.

"I am a solider," she said in a monotone, "I must obey my orders."

"But, you promised," I told George.

"I got a better offer," George replied with another shrug, "I'm always on the winning side. Arrest her."

I felt someone tug at my arms. Someone lifted Kit off my back. He instantly began crying as he was pulled further and further away from me. I tried to grab him but me arms were handcuffed behind my back. I was pushed onto my knees, a gun thrust onto my back. I stopped fighting as I watched them take away my son. Tears pooled in my eyes.

"No," I said but it came out as a whisper. I looked up at George only to find she had her back turned towards me. Tserkov avoided my look.

"Don't worry," I heard George say, "You'll be meeting your husband in prison."

I was pulled to my feet and dragged along the street. I closed my eyes as I was led away. I didn't want to look at George. She had betrayed Roy and me. I could hardly stand the sight of her. It made me sick to my stomach. I was pushed roughly into the back seat of a car. I dared a glance out of the window. George had her hand on Tserkov's shoulder. It looked like George was congratulating her. Tserkov merely nodded and walked away before saying something in Drachmarian. George seemed unimpressed at the gesture.

The car door was slammed in my face. I grimaced. As the car moved forwards and gradually began to pick up pace, I let a single tear roll down my cheek and fall onto my lap. Where had it all gone so horribly wrong?

**I'm going back to the Eastenders theory. I should really write for them. Anyway, don't forget to review :) please *puppy dog eyes*. Depending how I'm fixed this week at Uni I'll update during the week sometime.**

**RSx**


	51. Behind Bars

**T_T I know it's taken me forever to get this uploaded but it's taken me forever to write! I'm sooooo sorry for the wait but I've suddenly run into a huuge brick wall with this story and I still don't know how to get over it T_T On another note, I have been busy over the Christmas period with Pantomines and Law Exams. Luckily all of them are over now and I have a week off before Uni starts once again. While I have a week full of nothing, I shall try to get a few more chapters done so I can update a bit faster! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**Behind Bars**

Roy's face became the only thing I focused on as I was pushed through the prison cells. He glanced up and jumped to his feet, instantly surprised I was there.

"Riza!" he yelled. The guards opened the cell next to his and pushed me roughly into the metal cage. I stumbled and fell against the cold, hard bars. Roy rushed over to me, taking my hand and holding it tightly.

"Enjoy what's left of your time together," one of the guards sneered before he locked me in my prison and walked off with his companion. I looked at my husband. His expression was grim.

"Are you alright?" he asked me. His features visibly relaxed when he turned his gaze on me.

"They didn't do anything to me," I told him, "But I'm not alright."

"They caught up with you?" Roy asked.

"No," I answered, "George betrayed me."

Roy swore loudly. He let go of my hand and walked round his cell. I watched him for a few seconds before I sat down on a hard metal bed.

"What do we do now?" I asked. Roy let out a long sigh.

"Pray?" he suggested, "I don't know what has happened to the others. Maybe they'll be let off, maybe not. Maybe they've already been killed."

"They took Kit," I told Roy, "I don't know where he is but they dragged him off. I was helpless."

"We all were," Roy said, "I didn't see it coming. None of it."

"The worst part is that I still hope, in the pit of my stomach, that George is only playing along," I admitted, "But I know in my heart she's left us to die."

"We can't rely on anyone," Roy said, "Not even the guys."

"Ed and Al?" I asked but Roy shook his head.

"Not even your grandparents," he replied, "Not even Chris."

"Havoc," I said. Roy looked up to see Havoc walking towards us. He was watching the floor rather than anything else. George wasn't far behind him. She was smirking at Roy and I. Havoc stopped in front of our cells but refused to look at us.

"Is this them?" George asked.

"Who else is it?" Havoc snapped in reply. Slowly he raised his head and looked at me. "Confirmed."

"Havoc, what's going on?" I asked. He refused to answer.

"I'm sorry," he muttered before quickly leaving us. I watched him go before looking again at George.

"Why are you doing this, George?" Roy asked with venom in his tone. George looked at him with her eyebrow raised.

"Simple," she replied, "Because I can. Enjoy yourselves."

"Where's Kit?" Roy yelled. George paused. A smile crept onto her face.

"He's going to be so useful," she told us before walking away like Havoc had done.

"Dammit, George!" Roy yelled but his voice fell on deaf ears. George continued walking away from us, her pace never faltering. Roy's shoulders sagged. He leant his head on the bars in front of his face. I reached through the bars between us and gently stroked his shoulder. "We've failed."

"I know," I said calmly, "but we can't give up. Not if Kit's in danger."

"How we going to get out of here?" Roy asked, "They took my gloves. It's not like we can magically transport ourselves out of these cells."

"We'll wait for an opportunity," I replied. Roy nodded slowly. "For now, we wait."

"I already hate this plan," Roy muttered.

A few days crept by and there was no sign of freedom. There were no chances at escaping. No opportunities to send a message for help. No familiar faces coming to visit. No reassuring news from our allies. We were left in our cells most of the time. Occasionally we were let out to get refreshed but that would only be for a few minutes. The rest of the time we sat waiting.

Roy was awfully quiet as we sat waiting. There were no sarcastic comments, no humour or planning coming from him. It worried me to see him this way, but there was a side of me which preferred the silence. It was calm and peaceful even with the thought of impending doom lingering around us.

There was a noise somewhere down the hall. I glanced towards the exit, wondering what was going on. Gradually the noise got closer. Roy stood up and walked to the front bars.

"I wonder what's happening out there," he muttered. I stood up and walked to the bars, peering down the corridor with some interest. The noise, whatever it was, stopped suddenly. The doors at the end of the corridor swung open. I couldn't help myself but gasp.

I recognised the face before I remembered the name. The red eyes and x shaped scar across his face were unmistakeably his.

"Scar," I heard Roy whisper. Scar walked towards our cells. He glanced around cautiously like he didn't want to be caught there. Finally his eyes settled on Roy.

"The Flame Alchemist," Scar mumbled.

"Did they send you to kill me?" Roy asked. Scar remained silent but he glanced at me. He reached out at Roy's head but at the last second his hand went to the lock. A spark of energy later, Roy was free. Confused Roy stepped out of his cell. Scar placed his hand on my cell and did a similar thing. I slowly walked out of my cell, closing the door behind me. Roy was still confused.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"Come, before they realise we have gone," Scar replied walking back towards the door. I looked at Roy who merely shrugged.

"For my defence, I said we couldn't trust our allies," he muttered before we followed Scar.

Outside the prison there seemed to be a lack of guards. It seemed to unnerve both Roy and Scar but I was glad. Getting into a fire fight now would be lethal.

"Where are we going?" Roy muttered to Scar. Scar neglected to reply once again and sprinted across the corridor. He checked round a corner before telling us to follow.

"We need to get out of here," Scar told us in a hushed voice, "There are some people waiting."

"Who?" Roy asked.

"You will see when we get there," Scar replied. Roy rolled his eyes as Scar sprinted once again.

"Why does he have to be so cryptic?" Roy asked me. I offered him a small smile as an answer.

We followed Scar down several floors until we reached a room far below the prison. Scar carefully walked towards the back of the room where a cabinet was. He pushed it to one side, revealing a large hole behind it.

"Well, that's not suspicious at all," Roy commented as Scar entered the hole. I followed the Ishvallan with Roy close behind me. Scar pulled the cabinet back over the hole once we were inside.

"We are almost there," Scar told us. Roy put his hand on my shoulder as we walked on wards. A few minutes later we had reached a good sized room with two other tunnels. The tunnels caught my immediate attention but I then saw the people in the room.

"Havoc?" Roy asked, stepping forwards. Havoc saluted Roy with Breda, Falman and Fuery copying him.

"Good to see you, Colonel, Hawkeye," Havoc greeted with a goofy smile.

"We were worried," Fuery said. I turned to see Ed and Al stood beside one of the tunnels.

"Trust us to have to bail you out, Colonel," Ed said. Roy glared at him.

"Brother," Al moaned.

"So what's going on?" I asked before Ed and Roy could start a fight.

"We're not entirely sure," Breda replied. He looked at Havoc expectantly.

"Hey, I only know half of it," Havoc told us, "I was told to bring you guys here with weapons and gloves for the Colonel."

"We were told to bargain with Scar," Ed explained, "And get him to help us."

"I was also instructed to go to the stockade camp and talk to a man named Bulldog and request his help along with some others," Scar said. We all looked at each other, confused.

"So who's behind this?" Roy asked.

"That's a very good question, Colonel."

Everyone turned around to see George stood at the entrance to the tunnel we'd just come through. She was leant on one of the walls with her arms folded across her chest, a smirk on her face. She straightened up.

"Looks like a good turnout," she remarked looking at all of us.

"So you're the one who got us all together?" Breda asked.

"I'm not so sure about that," Havoc muttered.

"Yeah," Ed agreed.

"Believe what you want," George said, "I'm here for my prize."

"Prize?" Roy asked.

"I still can't believe you trust me," George said with a shake of the head, "I just can't understand it. I've betrayed you once and killed a friend or two of yours."

"A friend or two?" Ed asked.

"Yeah," George replied, "Two in front of their best friends, they were the funnest, and one when you didn't realise. That one was boring. I couldn't claim anything on that one. Such a shame because you'd have really missed that one. You would have cried so much."

"What are you talking about?" Roy asked, a snap in his tone. "There's no one else who's missing apart from Hughes and Rebecca."

I glanced at Havoc. He was biting his lip hard. I glanced at George once again, then back at Havoc.

"You know?" I asked him.

"I had my suspicions but I couldn't see how it would've worked," Havoc muttered. Everyone turned to Havoc, demanding an explanation. Even George looked interested. "Ever since she came back there's been something off with her. We had an argument before she left for the North but when she returned, she didn't have any memory of it. I expected her to say something when she returned but nothing and when I asked her about it, she didn't have a clue."

"All because of something so small, Havoc?" George asked, raising an eyebrow, "I should've done my research better, I guess."

"Research?" Ed asked, "Then that means-!"

Ed didn't have time to finish his sentence. Hayate bounded down the tunnel and leapt on George. George yelped as she tried to stop the dog attacking her.

"Zis iz your dog? E's such a cute ting!" echoed down the tunnel. Tserkov poked her head into the room and offered all of us a smile. "Vow, I vos not expecting zuch a turn out."

"OK," Roy moaned, "That's it. I have no idea what the hell is going on."

"Join the club," Ed agreed.

"Hayate, down," Tserkov ordered. Hayate jumped off George and trotted over to me. George glared at Tserkov.

"So you're behind all this?" George yelled, "I should have known!"

"Never trust a person you cannot understand," Tserkov replied, "One more ting."

In one swift movement Tserkov pulled a sword from her belt and plunged it into George's chest. George screamed as the metal pierced her skin. She collapsed on the floor. Tserkov plunged the sword into her side as if she nailing George to the floor.

"Zer, all better," Tserkov remarked. She turned to us. "Zer is very little time to explain. Fuery ave ou got ze telephone linked up?"

"Yes," Fuery replied nervously.

"Tell Bulldog and ze Glaciers to stand by," Tserkov ordered, "Falman and Breda could you please go get the weapons and bring zem here? And Al? Can you finish of zat tunnel?"

"Yes, ma'am," Falman and Breda replied before they hurried off with Al. Tserkov looked towards the rest of us.

"We need to move out," Tserkov told us, "So get ready."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell us what is going on," Ed said stubbornly, "We got half an explanation from George before you came and killed her."

At that minute everyone turned to look at George. She was laid with the sword through her side. She was propping up her head with her hand while the other was across her chest. She looked at us in a bored sort of way. My eyes trailed to the sword. There was no blood. Tserkov didn't look surprised at all.

"Finally," George said, "They seem to be getting it. Finally I can gloat."

"You're not George?" Roy asked.

"Wait, if it's not bleeding it must be a homuncolous," Ed said, "Envy!"

"Well done, shrimp," George said as she pulled the sword from her side. She got her feet and put a hand on her hip. "A bit late now though."

"So when you said you kill two people in front of their friends and another without us knowing, you meant…" Havoc said, trailing off as he became unable to continue. George nodded slowly.

"She did put up a fight," George went on, "Right to the very end she was telling me I wasn't going to get away with it. Then I pushed her and she died. So sad."

"You monster!" Roy roared. He stood in front of me protectively. I had been watching Tserkov very carefully over the last few seconds. She had pulled out a small blade and had been waiting for George to stop speaking before she plunged it into her left hip. Tserkov twisted the knife sharply making George scream in agony.

"Ze problem with taking on a form of a person is zat you also take on zer veak points," Tserkov said, "Poor you."

Tserkov grabbed George's wrist gave it a sharp pull and a twist before pushing it back towards her body. Again, George screamed.

"Colonel," Breda's voice seemed to come out of the blue. He rushed up behind Roy and I and handed Roy his gloves. He also passed me a gun in a holster. Roy slipped his gloves on and turned to George and Tserkov. Tserkov jumped out of the way as Roy clicked his fingers. George was suddenly on fire. We all watched in amazement as the flames died down. George was still there but she didn't look like George any more. Instead of brown her hair was green with a black bandana keeping the hair from her face. She wasn't wearing the state uniform any longer instead she was wearing a black top with what looked like a skirt with shorts underneath. On her hands she had fingerless gloves while on her feet she had black socks with the toes missing.

"Woah," Breda said, "That was George?"

"That's definitely Envy," Ed told us. Envy looked up at us before it burst into laughter.

"What I want to know is how you worked it out," Envy asked, looking towards Tserkov.

"It's really quite simple," Tserkov told Envy, "When you look at it. Anja Tserkov. In Drachma, Tserkov means church."

"What has that got to do with any of it?" Envy asked, as it got to its feet.

"Everything," Tserkov replied, her accent suddenly gone. Envy's eyes widened before it launched itself at Tserkov. Tserkov managed to move out of the way.

"Everyone, get going," she ordered before Envy launched at her once again. Slowly Scar began to edge towards one of the tunnels.

"We will go this way," Scar told us pointing down one tunnel, "You should go down that one to save your son."

"Fine," Roy said, "Ed, Riza, Havoc, you're with me."

"Take Breda," Havoc replied. I glanced at Havoc. He was watching Tserkov and Envy fight. He picked grabbed a gun off of Breda and clicked the safety off. "I'll stay here just in case."

"You sure?" Roy asked. Havoc nodded.

"Yeah," he replied, "Go save Kit. I'll meet up with you later."

"Promise?" I asked. Havoc gave me a smile.

"Promise," he replied, "Now move it!"

We quickly moved down the tunnels we needed to go down. I glanced back when I heard Havoc shoot his gun. I would have stopped to go back and help but my son was in danger. I had to go and save him. I kept up with Roy, Ed and Breda as we ran towards something. What it was was a mystery to us all.

**I'll try to update as soon as I can. If any people can help me get through this brick wall that is writer's block, please lend me some TNT. **

**RSx**


	52. Abyss

**Woo, finally I managed to get this finished! I hope it's not too bad. Thanks to The Layman for lending me a few thermite grenades, they worked wonders :) I'm so glad this has been completed though. Takes a whole load off my mind. I think the Plot Fairy ran away with me near the end of this chapter so I apologise in advance. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**Abyss**

I had no idea where we were when we came to the end of the tunnel. Roy and Ed stopped dead in their tracks as they looked around the large empty space. It was gloomy yet spacious with a stair way leading down to something at the bottom. My instant thought was that we'd been tricked again.

"What is this place?" Ed asked, "Someone must have seen this before now."

"I'm not so sure," Breda muttered, "It doesn't look like it's been touched in ages."

"Which way?" Roy asked. Ed looked around once more before pointing to our left. We followed him in silence, not daring to talk just in case we missed something. My eyes were constantly scanning the area for signs of movement but there wasn't any. Suddenly Ed stopped.

"What's wrong, Fullmetal?" Roy barked. Ed opened his mouth a few times and pointed further down the corridor. Roy glanced over the teen's head and instantly recoiled.

"So, you finally made it down here?" It was the Fuhrer, I was certain of it.

"What are you doing down here, sir?" Breda asked, "It's dangerous."

"You helped two fugitives escape, I'd say you were the one in danger," the Fuhrer said slowly. He looked straight at me and smiled. "Mrs Mustang. How are you doing?"

Roy stepped in front of me as if the Fuhrer's gaze could kill me. The Fuhrer let out a sigh.

"I gather you want to know the whole story? Am I right?" the Fuhrer asked.

"What are you hiding?" Ed yelled. The Fuhrer chuckled.

"I'll tell you everything, if you can stop me," the Fuhrer explained. He drew his sword from his belt and held it out. It was an invitation to all of us to attack him. I took a step backwards as Roy gently pushed me. He wasn't stupid enough to go head to head with the Fuhrer, neither was Breda. Ed, however, was already running towards the Fuhrer with his bladed arm raised in an aggressive way.

"Fullmetal!" Roy shouted in anger. Ed didn't hear him. Soon the Fuhrer and Ed were in a hand to hand fight. All I could do was sit back and watch. Roy was growing agitated the longer the fight went on. Ed was holding up pretty well to say he was up against a master swords man.

Suddenly, the Fuhrer swung his sword and caught Ed's automail. The mechanism stopped working instantly. The Fuhrer looked at me once again before sprinting towards me. Roy snapped his fingers causing a wall of fire to appear a few feet in front of us. The Fuhrer leapt through the flames as if it was nothing. His one eye was open wide with a look of pure hatred in it.

For the next couple of seconds I didn't have control of my body. It worked on its own. One hand dropped to my holster and drew out my gun. I held the gun in both hands at eye level. Then my fingers pulled the trigger.

The Fuhrer stumbled and fell to my right. He tried to get up, using his sword for leverage. I turned towards him and shot again, then again a few seconds later.

"Riza!" Roy yelled, rushing to my side in a matter of seconds. I was still looking at the Fuhrer as Roy's hand gripped my arms. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I replied as if nothing had happened. It was as if I had suddenly slipped into soldier mode. I blinked a few times as I looked up into Roy's eyes.

"Breda, go and help Fullmetal," Roy told Breda. Breda hurried off towards where Ed was sat. Roy crouched down and rolled the Fuhrer onto his side. The man was still smiling at us even though he was bleeding.

"I didn't see that coming," he remarked, "I never thought you would be able to stop me, Riza Hawkeye."

"Where is our son!" Roy yelled.

"You think that he is your son?" the Fuhrer asked, "After his creation was my plan? He is my child. I couldn't leave it up to chance."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, crouching down beside Roy.

"Did your father ever tell you why he hated you so much?" the Fuhrer asked, "And the military? Well, I know why. It was because of you and the military that your mother died."

I glanced at Roy, who gave me the same look back. This was awfully cliché for the dying bad guy to say. We turned back to the Fuhrer as he coughed loudly. Blood had begun to dribble out of the corner of his mouth.

"I told you father to create a child that could be used in my master's plans. A child born of alchemy and by passing all laws of nature," the Fuhrer said, "We took your mother and locked her away just after you were born. You were half of the materials your father could use. The next stage was to convince your father to take on students so that he could find the other half of the materials he would need. It was only chance that he chose Mustang who came to be the Flame Alchemist.

"Your father spent the rest of his life formulating the transmutation of a human baby with no flaws. He would only get one chance to try it. But Mustang left to join the military, meaning that his transmutation could never be tried. That didn't stop your father from trying to find another way. We told him as soon as he was successful, we would release his wife. He would never stop trying.

"Then he died and all hope of the perfect child was gone completely. Then you, Miss Riza Hawkeye, joined the Military and I made sure that you and Mustang would be in stressful conditions with each other, but you stayed professional, didn't you? Humans. They never do what you expect them to do.

"Years later I get the report that I have been anticipating all these years. A report by a doctor, saying that his patient was pregnant without intercourse. It all seemed to fall together but after each victory you two seemed to counteract it. Your grandfather was saved from the firing squad which meant I still had to play nice with him. You married which meant I had to give the child back because that was the law. Then I tried to kill off your friend in a fake trial with a few others, but she somehow managed to survive and become a thorn in my side."

He coughed once more.

"That's all very nice to know," Roy said rather sarcastically, "But you forgot to tell me where my son is!"

"He's with my master," the Fuhrer replied. Roy stood up but I remained on the floor beside the Fuhrer.

"My mother's alive?" I asked. Roy looked at me in surprise. Slowly the Fuhrer nodded. "Where is she?"

"I have no idea," he replied, "She disappeared a few years ago. She managed to escape."

"So you've being planning this since I was born? Why? What for?" I asked, feeling anger brew in my stomach.

"My master wants something so bad," the Fuhrer said, "He'll use any means to get it."

"Riza," Roy said, tapping me on the shoulder, "We need to find Kit."

I nodded. I carefully stood up, keeping a watchful eye on the Fuhrer. We walked towards Ed and Breda.

"Ed, you should stay here," Roy told the teen, "You're useless with an arm like that."

Ed grumbled something under his breath. Roy smirked and looked at Breda.

"Riza and I will go on ahead," he explained, "You stay here just in case Havoc and Tserkov come through. Make sure he stays here."

Roy pointed at the Fuhrer.

"We'll be in touch," Roy told Breda and Ed before pulling me along the path. I walked in silence for the most of the walking. I was still pretty surprised to hear my mother was alive, somewhere. I glanced at Roy once or twice but his face seemed set. I knew he was right, Kit was the more important issue here. I looked ahead sharply, seeing something out of the corner of my eye. Roy hadn't seen it so I held up my hand to warn him. He looked around.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We're being watched," I replied.

"By who?" Roy asked, looking around.

"I'm not sure," I told him, "Just keep an eye out."

We walked in silence once again as we reached a tunnel. The tunnel became darker and gloomier the further we walked. At the other side of the tunnel there was another large space. Something moved up ahead. We were instantly ready for an attack but to our relief it was Al, Scar, Fuery and Falman. They looked as relieved to see us as we did them. Al noticed at once that Ed wasn't with us.

"Where's brother?" he asked worriedly.

"He got a little carried away and broke his automail," Roy replied.

"Brother," Al moaned in response. Scar stepped forwards.

"We ran into another Homunculus back there," Scar told us.

"We bumped into Fuhrer King Bradley," Roy told Scar, "He kept saying something about a master or something."

"So did that guy we killed," Falman replied. I looked around for a second before walking a few paces. Everything seemed weird. The air was electrified. Something was up ahead but I wasn't sure what it was. I took a few more steps while the men were talking. I raised my gun as I heard a noise. It took me a few seconds to recognise what it was. It was Kit's crying. I bit my lip, resisting the urge to go and run to the source of the noise but my feet had other plans. They were slowly drifting towards Kit's cries.

I forgot what I was doing, what had happened in the past few hours. I ran to that noise, unable to fight the maternal instinct in my mind. I was quiet, stealthy like I had been trained in the military. I can to a large archway. Kit was just beyond it, I could feel it. I looked round for another way in. There wasn't any. I had to take this slow and steady. My emotions had to be relaxed and calm, my mind sharp. I walked soundlessly through the arch way. I ducked behind something just in case there was anything there. Nothing moved. I guessed no one was there. I crept behind the various objects that where round the room. There were barrels, odd bits of machinery and boxes. What were they doing here? I noticed someone stood in the centre of the room. It was a man with blonde hair. His hair was long and he had a thick beard. He was walking round in a circle.

"Gluttony and Wrath have failed," he muttered, "Those stupid humans are closing in on us."

"They'll stop at nothing to get their son," a voice from the shadows said. There was no one else in the room so who could it be? I looked around once again. The voice wasn't coming from the shadows; it was the shadows talking. I gripped my gun tighter. I shouldn't have run off but now there was nowhere to go. I was certain they knew I was here.

"Humans are like that," the man said, "They hide. They fight. They lose."

I was suddenly hoisted into the air. The shadows had grabbed me. I squirmed as the shadow's grip tightened around my waist. The blonde man was staring at me with a blank expression on his face.

"I found her," the shadow said.

"Well done, Pride," the man said, "I see Hawkeye's daughter has joined us at last. I have no doubt you are here for your son."

I couldn't speak. I was being squeezed so hard I couldn't even breathe let alone speak or think. Pride, the shadow, suddenly let me fall. I dropped onto the hard floor in front of the man. I looked up at him as I rubbed my waist.

"Who are you?" I managed to ask.

"I am father," he replied, "I created the homunculus."

"Why do you want my son?" I asked, getting to my knees.

"He is not your son, he is mine," 'Father' replied, "I was the one to make sure he was born. I helped your father develop the transmutation circle. I was the one to get your father to take in an apprentice. I was the one to ensure his creation. He is my son."

"You're not his father," I growled. Father stopped and glared at me.

"You speak with such defiance," he said, "Humans often do that."

"His father is Roy Mustang," I told him, "His mother is me, Riza Hawkeye."

"I never doubted you were his mother," Father said, "You were a good carrier for him. Wrath chose well when he chose you."

"Should I take that as a compliment?" I asked.

"I am in need of your assistance," Father said, ignoring me, "The boy doesn't seem to want to co-operate. I often find that children respond to those they see as parents. You will tell him what to do."

"What if I decline?" I asked.

"Then I will kill you," Father replied.

"Then you'll never get what you want," I told him, "If you kill me, Kit won't ever do anything for you."

"She does have a point, Father," the shadows said. I looked round cautiously.

"Bring the child," Father ordered. In a split second, Kit rose out of the shadows and was stood in front of me. He looked at me.

"Mummy!" he cried, hugging me. I pulled him into a tight embrace, like it had been years since I had last seen him. "Mummy."

"It's OK, Kit," I said soothingly, "I'm here now. Everything's going to be OK."

"Mummy, man scares me," Kit cried into my shoulder, "He mean."

"I know, Kit, I know," I said, stroking Kit's back. He was safe in my arms. He was alive. I hugged him tightly. I never wanted to let go. Father watched us, blank expression and un-interest in his eyes.

"Make him open the gate," Father told me. The gate? What in the world did he mean by that? "Make him open the gate."

"What gate?" I asked.

"The gate," Father told me, "The gate that hides the Truth."

I blinked a few times. I had no clue to what he meant. I wondered if it was something to do with alchemy but I never learnt anything to do with alchemy so what could I do about the gate? Obviously it was important to Father but I had never heard of it before now. I hugged Kit closer to me.

"You do not know what the gate is?" Father asked.

"No," I replied.

"Alchemists wish to see the gate and the truth," Father explained, "It holds all knowledge."

"I'm not an alchemist," I told Father. I sudden memory hit me. My father had never allowed me to learn alchemy for one reason: Things you do not know can't hurt you. He had told me that whenever I asked him about alchemy. Did my father do that to protect me? If I had learnt alchemy I would have learnt about the gate then I would have no excuse to tell Father now. Father was staring down at me.

"Pathetic," Father snapped. Kit was suddenly taken from my arms by the shadow. He screamed for me, tears falling down his cheeks. Father created a gun from the ground and pointed it at my head. He looked round at Kit. "If you do not open the gate then I will kill your mother."

"He doesn't know what the gate is," I yelled.

"Open the gate," Father ordered, "Or your mother dies."

"He doesn't understand," I told Father. Kit continued to cry and get to me but the shadow had a firm grip around him. Father looked back at me and put his finger on the trigger. I tried to move but I was anchored to the floor by the shadow. I saw the light reflect off the barrel. For one moment, just one, I prayed this wasn't the end.

But there was no way out of this.

Click... Bang.


	53. Final Battle

**Sorry it took so long! I got kidnapped by the Pokemon Fandom but it was worth it! Here's the next chapter. Wooooo! As you can see by the title we're nearly at the end now :( **

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.**

**Final Battle**

Fire swirled round me. I shielded my eyes from the heat. After a few seconds, everything returned to normal. I glanced round to see Roy at the archway with Scar, Al, Falman and Fuery behind him. Roy had a look of murder on his face.

"DADDY!" Kit roared, fear stricken, tears rolling down his face. I jumped to my feet and grabbed the boy. I held him tight in my arms. Father appeared not long after.

"Such a bother," Father said. Roy and the others sunk into the floor. The shadow creature 'Pride' no doubt had something to do with this. "The Flame Alchemist. Hoenheim's child. The Ishvallan named Scar. You have finally found me."

"Give me my son," Roy yelled. I held the boy closer to me.

"As I have told your wife," Father said calmly, "He is not your son. He is mine for I created him."

Roy's eyes widened before he bit his lip. I looked over at him, worried about what he would say.

"I created him for my own purpose," Father went on, "Therefore he is my son, like the Homunclus."

Father turned to me but his eyes were focused on Kit.

"You will open the gate," he told the toddler.

"No!" Al yelled, "You can't!"

"Open the gate, child," Father said, "It is why you were born. You know how to do it so do it."

"Kit don't listen to him!" Al yelled, "That's why big brother is so big!"

As if to make Kit understand, Al took off his head and showed Kit the inside of his armour.

"It's why big brother is empty," Al said.

"Kit," Roy said this time, "Don't listen to him."

The shadow squeezed Roy suddenly. I jumped as my husband began grimacing as if the shadow was attempting to break him in two. Kit was alarmed by this.

"Daddy!" he yelled. Kit looked at Father, his expression set. Kit was mad. "Me open the gate."

"No!" Roy shouted. Kit looked at me.

"Mummy," he said, "I'm sorry but Auntie Geowge said to help people."

"Kit," I replied, fearing that Envy had brainwashed my son, "Auntie George doesn't know everything."

Kit shook his head at me.

"She said me am clever, me am brave," Kit said, "Me want be like mummy and daddy, but me can't be like mummy and daddy if mummy and daddy are dead."

"Kit," I said softly, stroking his cheek. He looked at me in such a way that I couldn't help but feel like he had a plan. Slowly I nodded.

"Riza!" Roy shouted, but we both ignored him.

"Auntie Geowge says that it better after storm," Kit said to me. I smiled softly at him. Father seemed confused by the useless babble Kit was giving me. To a certain degree so was I. Kit walked over to Father. Pride released Roy so that he could breathe again. He glared over at me but I gestured for him to calm down.

"Don't do it, Kit!" Al was yelling.

"You'll kill everyone," Scar added. Kit ignored them, allowing him to be led to a black transmutation circle over by some weird looking machinery. I stood on the spot, waiting. Something caught my eye. I saw Tserkov out of the corner of my eye. She offered me a thumbs up before she slunk into the shadows. It was a plan. I shuddered as Kit walked into the transmutation circle. Kit looked back at me, then at Roy.

"Me going save Mummy and Daddy," he told us, "And big brother."

He slowly began to put his hands on the ink when he stopped and looked at Father.

"What going to do?" he asked.

"It will open the gate so that I can absorb everything," Father replied a smile growing on his face, "I will become the most powerful being on the planet."

"Power this."

Tserkov fell from her hiding place, landing beside Roy. There was a light and the shadow completely froze.

"Make it count," she snapped at Roy, Al and Scar. I looked over at her to see her hands had froze to the shadow. The act of freezing something so large was bound to take its toll on her. Scar blasted the iced shadow and freed himself. He then quickly freed the other two alchemists. I got out my gun and shot at Father, although it didn't do much good. He merely absorbed the lead into his body. It did make him glare at me leaving Roy to attack while Father wasn't paying attention.

It took the three alchemists to fight Father. I rushed over to Kit to find the boy was already making alterations to the circle.

"Mummy, pattern," he said happily. I smiled at him.

"You know how to open the gate?" I asked. Kit nodded slowly. I stroked his head, glad he was unharmed.

"Riza," Ed yelled. They were finally here were they? I glanced to see Ed, Breda and Havoc rush through the arch. Havoc and Breda broke off to help Fuery and Falman out of the shadow. Tserkov was attempting to get herself free but it didn't look like she was succeeding. Ed stumbled over to Kit and I, unable to fight do to his arm.

"Are you two alright?" he asked.

"Little brother!" Kit cheered, "Look, look."

"A transmutation circle…" Ed muttered. He looked at the changes Kit had made to it and smiled widely. "That's it."

"What's it?" I asked. Ed pointed at the marks.

"We can change the effects of the circle," Ed told me, "But we need Colonel Flamehead to open it as well."

"Can't Kit do it?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder as a large fire ball was shot across the room.

"He will," Ed replied, "But since the three of you are linked, we'll be able to control it more if all of you activated it."

"I can't-" I was cut off as Roy was thrown across the room. I stood up out of instinct. He landed painfully on his back. Roy began to get to his feet.

"You need him?" Father asked, "To defeat me?"

Ed bit his lip hard. I scowled at Father. He looked nonchalantly at Roy, holding up his arm. A few sparks of light later, Father's nails appeared to become longer, sharper and metallic. He was aiming for Roy. Roy wouldn't be able to move in time. There was a yell from behind Roy, then a yell from Roy. He landed oddly on the floor as Father shot his nails at him. They missed him completely but Tserkov wasn't so lucky. She let out a yelp as they landed near her, one piercing her left arm. Roy glanced at her.

"Move it!" she snarled. Roy got up and rushed towards Kit and I. Ed took the opportunity to attack Father with a few kicks. Roy crouched down next to Kit and looked over the circle.

"It's brilliant," he commented, before messing Kit's hair up playfully. I glanced down at Roy to find an arrow imbedded in his calf. I glanced over at Tserkov who was now lying unconscious on the floor next to Havoc. She seemed to be bleeding heavily. My attention shifted to the battle between Father and the other alchemists. Father was matching up well against them. Too well.

"Riza," Roy said. I looked down at him. He and Kit were crouched over the centre of the circle. Roy pointed at the spot in the middle. "If we activate it here then we should be able to defeat Father."

"How?" I asked, crouching down. Roy pointed round the circle.

"Kit's tweaked it so that the Gate will open, but anything that is not human will be sucked into it," Roy explained, "As seeing as I don't think Father is human, he'll get sucked into it."

"I can't use alchemy," I said flatly. Roy smiled at me.

"Now's your chance to try," he replied. I looked at Kit who seemed just as adamant as his father. I rolled my eyes but nodded. Roy grinned. "On three… One… Two…THREE!"

The three of us put our hands on the circle at the same time. I found I was suddenly at the epicentre of green light. The whole circle lit up. An upwards draft made my hair float upwards. I glanced at Roy and Kit to see that theirs were the same.

The three of us looked round when we heard Father let out a yell. A large door like object had appeared behind Father. It swung open, revealing swirls of different sorts. Thin, black claws reached out and attached themselves to Father, dragging him into the door. One black claw made its way towards the three of us. It settled on Kit. It tapped his forehead before retreating back into the Gate. Father clawed at the floor, trying to resist the force of the many hands pulling him in. Finally the claws won and Father was pulled into the gate. The doors swung shut and the whole thing disappeared.

Kit slumped forwards as the light from the circle disappeared. I grabbed him, alarmed. Roy instantly checked for a pulse.

How could we have been so stupid? If Father had created Kit then Kit would have been taken with him. I hugged my son tightly, allowing tears to well up in my eyes. Roy let out a sigh. I looked at him.

"He's still there," he told me. I hung my head, smiling in relief. Roy stroked my shoulder. "Well… That was interesting."

A disturbance behind us signalled someone coming towards the arch. Breda, Feury and Falman were already on their feet, pointing their weapons at whatever was coming our way.

Bulldog ran into the area, followed by eight men. He looked around, confused.

"Bulldog?" Havoc asked. He got to his feet, holding Tserkov in a bridal style way in his arms. Bulldog looked around.

"Sorry. Did we miss the action?" Bulldog asked.

"You're about thirty seconds too late," Ed yelled, "Useless Briggites!"

"Hey!" Bulldog snapped, "We would've been here earlier but we were at the opposite end of the bloody country!"

Roy picked up Kit and I got to my feet. The two of us smiled at Bulldog as Ed began to yell at him over something. Al was immediately trying to defuse the situation. The rest of us seemingly relaxed for a few seconds. It was over and Kit was safe.

I think there was a lot of explaining left though.

Tserkov woke up not to long after in her hospital bed. She awoke to the screams of Ed being hit over the head by a wrench. Winry wasn't too impressed at the breakage of her automail. Apparently, Winry had travelled with the Glacier Guards who were the ones who Bulldog arrived with. Ed wasn't so pleased to see Winry as we thought he would be, but then again, with the way she was hitting him, no wonder.

Kit was still out cold. I was sat by his bed while Roy sorted out a few things out with General Armstrong. Apparently, the whole capital had gone crazy not long after we had escaped our prison cells. Armstrong had used this to her advantage and completed a coup.

Havoc walked over to me and handed me a bottle of water.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Tired," I replied. He glanced over at the confused Tserkov. She didn't seem alarmed by the noise or the fact Winry was beating Ed to a pulp with a wrench. Al was once again trying to calm down the situation.

Everything went still when Armstrong and Roy walked into the ward. Roy came straight over to Kit's bed while Armstrong stayed by the door. Bucaneer and Bulldog walked in after them.

"So is anyone going to tell me what is going on?" Armstrong asked.

"Father wanted to open the Gate so he could become really powerful," Ed started.

"So he made Riza's father create the alchemic circle on her back so that eventually Kit would be born and used to open the gate," Roy went on.

"Father also created the Homunculus," Havoc pitched in.

"One of the Homunculus was the Fuhrer," Breda added.

"Using a transmutation circle, the Mustangs were able to send Father beyond the gate," Al explained, "So that Father couldn't do anything ever again."

Armstrong, Buccaneer and Bulldog looked really confused.

"Then who called us?" Bulldog asked.

"Where's Jester?" Armstrong asked.

"How did you two get free?" Buccaneer asked.

"Scar helped us escape," Roy replied.

"I was told to get the Glacier Guards assembled," Scar explained, "And also Miss Winry, in case the Colonel needed back up."

"George is…" Breda said. Everyone looked away from Bulldog and Buccaneer. "She's dead. She was killed by a Homunculus."

"No," Bulldog said, alarmed yet upset. Buccaneer didn't say anything but he looked away from us all. Havoc and Tserkov burst into laughter suddenly. Slowly everyone looked at them. I glanced at Havoc to see him smiling genuinely.

"What's the meaning of this?" Buccaneer snapped. Havoc shut up.

"Zat iz a good question," Tserkov said, looking at Havoc. It struck me as weird that her accent was suddenly back. Havoc shrugged.

"Hey, I'm not as dumb as I look," he replied, holding his hands up, "Like I said back in the tunnel. I knew something was wrong with George when she got back here."

"Tserkov…" Roy said. Tserkov sat up in her bed.

"Lieutenant Churchill was stationed on the glaciers on Drachma's side. She had called a contact in the Drachmarian army to get some information from him, however when she reached the rendezvous point, he wasn't there. Envy had killed him and was waiting for her," Tserkov explained, "The two of them fought. Churchill was over whelmed by Envy's strength so decided to dive into the glacier to escape."

"Basic tactics," Bulldog said.

"Yar," Tserkov said, "Then she made her way back to the Drachmarian base where she came across another contact, Colonel Letovsky, who agreed to help Churchill get word to her superiors. However, when they called Briggs, they said a Lieutenant Churchill had already arrived back there. Churchill realised she had been cloned by Envy and decided to take another way to get back to Central without raising suspicion."

"And they sent you?" Armstrong asked.

"Yar," Tserkov replied.

"You worked for Colonel Letovsky?" Roy asked.

"No," Tserkov said with a shake of her head. Havoc smiled.

"I did some digging," Havoc said as I looked at him, "Just after the Colonel was arrested. Lieutenant Tserkov has served five years in the Drachmarian Army, however, she's also been blonde haired, blue eyed, a brunette with green eyes, a man with blonde hair and a black head with grey eyes too."

"She's a master of disguise?" Breda asked.

"If she can also grow and shrink at will," Havoc replied, "And turn into a man. Also the name has changed several times too."

"Anja Tserkov," Armstrong said, "You were sent by Jester? She's alive then?"

"Yar and no," Tserkov said, "Jester is alive, yar, but I wasn't sent here by her."

"Then who the hell are you?" Ed yelled. There was a pause. Tserkov nodded and proceeded to put her hand to her eyes. She put her thumb on her eyeball and pulled away a coloured lens. She did the same with the other one and looked up at us.

"I am George," she said, blinking her hazel brown eyes. Everyone had the same expression on their face: confusion. Havoc was smiling like he had worked this out ages ago. I found even my mouth was slightly open as she said this.

"Genius!" Bulldog said, being the first to recover, "Brilliant."

"Wait, you're George?" Roy asked, pointing at her, "Since when?"

"I couldn't let Envy wreck my life," Tserkov… George replied, "But I knew if I went to people 'I'm Churchill', I'd be silenced pretty fast. I found it was easier operating away from you all. I was able to call the Guards and get Ed to do stuff for me, thinking it was the Colonel ordering him around."

"So you really are George?" Breda asked.

"Yep," she replied. There was silence for a few more seconds until everyone seemed to either hug her or yell at her for keeping it a secret. Kit stirred beside me.

"Mummy," he muttered, "My head hurts."

I glanced at him before hugging him tightly. Kit hugged me back before we looked over at the crowd round George. For a while we were unnoticed until Roy realised Kit was awake, then the whole crowd descended onto him instead.

**There is only one more chapter and then a short epilogue :( But there is a squel! Wooo! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. It's been a long time coming. Don't forget to review :)**

**RSx**


	54. Leaving Ways

**This is it *sniff* the final chapter and a quarter *sniff* Please look on the Epilgoue for the end Author's note for all my thanks and stuff. For now, please enjoy this chapter :)**

**Disclaimer for this chapter and the next: I don't own FMA. **

**Leaving Ways**

I sat reading a book as the train rushed through the Amestres countryside. I hardly noticed what we were passing never mind where we were. I glanced up at Roy who was sat opposite me with Kit leaning on him. Kit was asleep. Roy was staring morosely out of the window.

"You know glaring at it won't make things better," I said. A smirk crawled onto Roy's face. He turned to look at me.

"I'm not glaring," he said, "I'm just looking at the last of Amestres before we leave it, forever."

"That's doubtful," I replied, "We'll probably get our pardons when they need you again."

"True," Roy agreed, "But don't hold your breath hoping."

Since Armstrong had taken power, the country had fallen into a bit of a state. The new Parliament was putting a lot of pressure on Armstrong and seemed to favour a handful of other Generals over her. In an attempt to calm down the situation, Armstrong had decided to hold trials for the brass and high ranking officers in Fuhrer Bradley's old regime. This meant that Roy was on trial as well.

For his crimes in Ishval, Roy had received the death penalty. However, since Roy and I had a son and the fact Roy had helped save the country, he was given a lighter sentence. Instead of being killed, he was banished to Xing for the rest of his life. Kit and I were allowed to go with him, but once we left we could never return.

I closed my book and looked down at Kit. He was breathing heavily as he slept. He didn't understand what was going on but then again he was only three years old. He was smart for his age, like his father, but there were some things he couldn't quite grasp. As far as he knew we were going on a very long holiday. He didn't seem bothered by the prospect that we might never see Amestres again but he was three, he didn't care a lot about of things.

"He's out of it," Roy stated airily as he noticed my gaze.

"Yeah," I sighed, "Maybe that's the best way."

"Maybe. At least he's not crying," Roy said, "I pick snoring over crying any day."

I giggled at my husband. He smiled warmly at me.

"My uncle says he will help us until we get our feet firmly on the ground," Roy said, "When he heard what had happened he rang me every day for a fortnight hoping to catch me so he could make his arrangements."

"Are you sure you can trust your uncle?" I asked wearily.

"He sees me as a son," Roy replied, "He'd do anything for me."

"To what extent is that?" I asked.

"Well, if I wasn't married already he'd probably have a dozen girls lined up for me choose from," Roy replied, a crafty look appearing on his face, "But if I didn't have a wife then I would be dead by now."

"No if you didn't have a child then we'd both be dead by now," I retorted. Roy nodded.

"That's true," he agreed.

I stood up and carefully lifted up Kit. He stirred for a second until I put him back down on my seat. I could feel Roy's eyes watching me as I laid him down and pulled a coat over his shoulders. I turned back to Roy and quickly sat down next to him before the train jolted and I went flying. Roy immediately put his arm around my shoulder.

"My uncle's very rich," Roy stated. I looked up at him.

"Why do you say that?" I asked. Roy smirked again.

"He's wanted a male heir for years so he can pass down his estate," Roy explained, "I think that's why he called. He has an heir."

I put my head on his chest while looking at Kit. Roy's arm tightened round me. Roy had very rarely spoken of his family before now even to me. The sudden appearance of his uncle had surprised me but Roy seemed to trust him. I was reluctant to trust a man I hadn't yet met. Like Roy, his uncle seemed to have everything worked out. He had plans. All his family had plans. What had I let my son into?

"You should probably get some rest," Roy whispered to me. He was right, I should but I wouldn't. Roy needed the company right now and I wasn't tired.

"When we arrive in Xing," I said, "It will mean we'll never be able to turn back. We can't hear from anyone in Amestres. Gracier, George, Havoc or Fullmetal –"

"Why the hell would I want to talk to him?"

"Are you sure this is the right thing?" I asked ignoring his interruption.

"Do we have a choice?" Roy asked, "I'll be glad to get rid of Fullmetal and get rid of all the whining from Havoc, Breda and the others. If Gracier thinks she can't manage then she'll get a visa for Xing. I've given her the address of my uncle so she should be able to find us easily enough."

"You really have thought of everything," I said, "So unlike you."

Roy chuckled. He stroked my arm gently. I felt him breathe in and sigh deeply. "I have to be prepared."

"You say that now?" I asked, "After Ishval and everything you now say you have to be prepared?"

"Yeah, well," Roy muttered like a moody child. I looked up at him. His eyes met mine. "Someone's got to look out for you and Kit."

"Your uncle seems to be setting him up quite nicely," I replied. Roy scowled at me which made me giggle again.

"I'll never understand how a military disciplined woman can so easily fall into a fit of giggles," he said.

"I can't help it sometimes when you pull a face," I snapped, "Besides you say I need to lighten up a bit outside the bedroom."

"That's true," Roy agreed.

"You can worry from now on, Roy, I'm all worried out," I said. He chuckled. He held me tighter.

"I'll never worry that much. As long as you're beside me everything's find in the world," he muttered. I stroked his chest and slowly made my way up to his chin.

"You do spiel some rubbish sometimes, Roy," I replied. He lowered his head down so his lips were touching mine. His other hand came round and cupped my chin and then moved back to touch my hair. My hand was on his cheek as we silently kissed hoping that Kit wouldn't wake up and spoil this moment. We parted slightly after a few moments.

"Sometimes I hate having a kid," Roy muttered. I giggled and pulled away from him.

I leant back against his chest. Roy grabbed my hand and held it tightly in his. Even though I was terrified about the new life I was being forced into I couldn't help but feel excited. It was the life I had dreamt of for a long time now, ever since Kit was born. Ever since I met Roy, I suppose when all truth said. This was the happy ending I had always dreamt of and nothing could make this better for, not even staying in Amestres.

I smiled to myself. Roy must have noticed this because he suddenly said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I replied honestly, "Everything's perfect from where I'm sitting."

Roy smiled, "Perfect? I doubt that it's perfect yet. I thought you'd always wanted something more?"

I giggled again. My hand moved to my stomach as I spoke again, "I suppose I always said I wanted to have a little girl, but who's to say I haven't got that already?"

Roy sighed as he suddenly realised what I was saying. He rubbed his temple in a serious way. After a minute or so a smile spread onto his face.

"A little normality wouldn't hurt, I suppose, but then again," he said, "Here we go again."

I laughed as I leant back in the seat next to Roy. I thought back to the people we were leaving behind. George, who back to her usually hair colour and ways, and Havoc had seen us off at the station. No one else would know that we had gone until now, I supposed. We didn't have a great big farewell but that suited us. No tears, no farewells, just a silent leaving. George and Havoc would pass on the message anyway. Roy cupped his hand in mine and we looked at each other.

We were going to be alright. And that's all I cared about.


	55. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

I never liked my father really when I was younger due to the way he treated me but as I grew older and settled into a family of my own I realised something that not even he would've foreseen. He may have made my childhood a living hell but he'd also helped me find my paradise in the future. He never intended it to work like that.

He said to me once: "This should set you up with a future. Be thankful I have given you what you never would have."

I didn't understand what he meant until a few years ago. Unwittingly my father had given the two people he hated the most the gift of life after the crimes they had committed years after he died.

I doubt Roy will ever be able to forgive himself for what he did back then, neither will I, but at least we found redemption and can rest knowing that we brought back good to a land of darkness. We left that land behind but had the opportunity to start again as people we'd not been in decades. Roy loves his son and daughter very much and loves me more with each day that passes.

I don't hate my father anymore because that would've been what he wanted. But deep inside I bet he really did have a heart that drove him out of all things to make sure the only two people in his life would find happiness. When we were younger he saw what we'd never seen at all…

**That's it, finally finished after all this time! Massive, huge thanks to everyone who's made it this far and for those who have helped me throughout this fic, including my sponsor Techno and my editor Allie who helped me out in the first bit of this fic :) **

**Also thanks to everyone who reviewed. I love you people! **

**There will be a sequel based on George and Havoc since I loved these characters (haha!) which I will update soon! **

**Until then. Bye!**

**RSx**


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